Business visitors add three times value to Galway Economy

By Isabel Filby

Business Tourism to add three times value to Galway Economy

A business visitor in Galway is worth up to three times that of a leisure tourist.

With meetings usually taking place outside of the main summer tourism months this leads to an extension of the season for the tourism sector in Galway.

For 2022 there is a confirmed €7.6 million business for Galway in MICE ((Meeting, Incentive, Conference, Events) led revenue.

To ensure this sector thrives, the member-led non-profit organisation Galway Convention Bureau, whose mission is to sell Galway as a destination for international conferences and events, is looking for people throughout Galway to become its ambassadors.

“Ambassadors” are those who love Galway and have memberships of international professional, corporate and industry associations. Further, they have the influence to bring an international conference home.

Speaking to Galway Pulse, Niamh Stack of Galway Convention Bureau said: “There are so many things that make Galway a unique and special MICE destination. Galway is a vibrant, thriving city with lots of different options to offer our Meetings and Events visitors. Galway is a compact and walkable city, we have world-class conference facilities along with a host of stunning venues to choose from. We are a city of festivals, culture and arts and we are home to some of the World’s top Medical Device and ICT Companies. Our stunning scenery is the perfect backdrop for any conference or event.”

European Solid Mechanics Conference generated millions of Euros

Earlier this year in July, the 11th European Solid Mechanics Conference (ESMC 2022) took place at the University of Galway. The economic impact of the conference on the local area was almost 2,000,000 Euros. With over 1200 delegates in attendance, it was the largest international conference to have ever taken place on the campus.

Talking on the importance and economic benefit of this conference to Galway Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Galway Peter McHugh commented: “Solid mechanics is fundamental to biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil and structural engineering [and] encompasses the mathematical, physical, biological and clinical sciences. Most importantly, solid mechanics is a key enabler in the development of new technologies that address the major global challenges of our time in health, renewable energy, and sustainability.”

Mrs Stack said the conference was a fantastic win for Galway and a massive boost for the economy in the city and across the country.

They will continue to collaborate with Fáilte Ireland to build on the success of this event and attract other major conferences and business events to Galway in the future.

Paul Mockler, head of Commercial Development, Fáilte Ireland, emphasised that Business events bring high economic and knowledge value to Ireland.

“[They] currently have a pipeline of business worth around €1 billion as far out as 2032. By bringing international thought leaders to Ireland for their events, we demonstrate Ireland’s prowess in many fields while at the same time learning from global leaders.  Fáilte Ireland invests in our regional convention bureaux as business events benefit the country regionally and out of the main tourism periods,” he claimed.

Darragh O’Connor, Chairperson of the Galway Conventional Bureau affirmed that Galway is at the forefront for Academic, Med-tech and International Association based conferences.

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