Measures recently adopted by the Irish government are now making life easier for the meetings and events industry. As of the beginning of July, value added tax on tourist services is now nine instead of 13.5 percent.
This reduction in the cost of hotel accommodation and restaurant and theatre visits will significantly lighten the load for travellers. And in the autumn the government also plans to waive the travel tax currently imposed on air tickets in a move designed to help encourage more guests to visit the Emerald Isle.
With the introduction of these new measures Ireland is responding to an upturn in interest from the MICE industry. More events, more participants and higher budgets suggest that the industry is over the worst. The Meetings and Event Barometer 2011 indicates that the German suppliers surveyed in 2010 organised around 40 percent more events than in 2008. 67 percent of interviewees have higher budgets at their disposal this year than in 2009.
In recent years Ireland had already established itself as an important MICE destination in Europe. In 2010 alone the island played host to roughly 70 congresses and events by major international organisations and companies. And for the second half of this year Ireland is on the agenda at many multinational corporations, associations and industry organisations.
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