The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
All roads lead to Killarney for high profile tourism event
MEMBERS of the National Tourism Forum are heading to Killarney to talk about tourism. Tourism businesses from across the country will head to the Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney, on November 25 and 26 for the ‘Let’s Talk Tourism’ event which will explore and examine issues effecting the industry, along with many national and international tourist strategies.
Tourism is one of Ireland’s most vibrant industries and nowhere more so than in Kerry where 1 in 5 jobs, either directly or indirectly, are created through tourism.
The forum was created by The Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), SKAL Republic of Ireland and Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce who joined forces to create a platform on which all sectors of tourism can discuss and debate issues.
The forum is to be chaired by RTE journalist, Miriam O’Callaghan, and more than twenty-five high profile speakers have so far confirmed their attendance. Guest speakers include: Professor of Finance at Trinity College, Brian Lucey, Chief Executive Officer of the Dalata Hotel Group, Pat McCann, and Irish Hotels Federation President, Joe Dolan. Other notable speakers include MEP, Sean Kelly, Independent TD, Michael Healy Rae, and Chief Executive of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, Eoghan O’ Mara-Walsh.
On the Friday a business networking dinner will be held at The Brehon Hotel and special guests down for interview will be former Kerry greats, Darragh, Tomás and Marc Ó’ Sé; while on Saturday the forum heads to Dingle where delegates will find out how Dingle has developed its food and rural tourism so successfully over the past decade. The social itinerary of the conference includes a gala black tie Kerry IHF Christmas Ball at Muckross Park Hotel on the Saturday night, to be hosted by Kerry IHF Chairman, Terence Mulcahy. The forum is being sponsored by AIB and is supported by Failte Ireland and Kerry County Council.
“Various sectors within the tourism industry have annual conferences to discuss the particular interests and issues involving their specific sector. However, there is no forum for the grassroots of all sectors within tourism to meet, to debate and discuss tourism,” said Sean O’ Driscoll, Conference Chairman and SKAL Republic of Ireland President.
“Our aim is to create a forum where tourism business owners and managers on the ground can discuss the future of tourism in Ireland and network and share business learnings. We would like to thank AIB, Kerry County Council and Failte Ireland for their support.”