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BROADCASTER Miriam O’Callaghan will be in town this weekend to chair a major tourism forum on November 25 and 26. The Let’s Talk Tourism event will be sponsored by AIB, Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland, and will take place in association with Skål Republic of Ireland, the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation and Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce.

The forum, which will unfold in the Muckross Park Hotel, will explore and examine topics such as Brexit and its effect on tourism, the future of tourism in Ireland and is it just about quantity or quality, international tourism trends, tourism policy in Ireland and what is needed to grow tourism and jobs further, as well as rural tourism and how to spread the tourism wealth around the country.
AIB confirmed today it has approved over €300 million in loans to the hotel sector this year.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s National Tourism Forum, Owen Travers, AIB's Head of Hospitality, said: “AIB has a long history of supporting the Irish hospitality industry which is a vital sector for the Irish economy. Our customers' hard work has been one of the key driving forces behind employment growth and the Irish economic recovery. AIB continues to back all aspects of our customers' businesses from acquisition and business expansion to capital reinvestment and select new hotel development. We have been in a position to support successive generations of Irish hoteliers across the country to realise their ambitions."

The MHL Hotel Collection is among the 30 hotels backed by AIB this year. Paul Higgins, Partner with the MHL Hotel Collection, said: “AIB has supported the growth and expansion of our business over the last number of years both in Dublin and regionally across Ireland.”
Guest speakers at the forum in Killarney this weekend include Professor of Finance, TCD, 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 evening of Friday, November 25, a business networking dinner will be held at The Brehon Hotel. Special guests being interviewed on the night will be former Kerry footballers Darragh, Tomás and Marc Ó Sé, who together hold 16 All Ireland medals, 12 All Stars Awards, 28 Munster titles and 257 Championship Appearances.

On Saturday, November 26, the forum goes to Dingle for the day and forum delegates will be shown how Dingle has developed food and rural tourism on the Dingle Peninsula over the last ten years and how it is booming as a result. A Taste of Kerry lunch will be hosted in Benner’s Hotel and Bridgestone Guide Writer John McKenna will be the keynote speaker at lunch.
The social itinerary of the conference includes the gala blacktie Kerry IHF Christmas Ball at Muckross Park Hotel on Saturday night, November 26, hosted by the Kerry IHF Chairman Terence Mulcahy.

Sean O’Driscoll, Conference Chairman and Skal Republic of Ireland President, said: “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. Our aim was 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.”
For further information or to book a place at Let’s Talk Tourism- National Tourism Forum see www.ntf.ie or email or email info@ntf.ie
 

 
At the launch of the National Tourism Forum “Let’s Talk Tourism” are standing: Kerry Hotel Federation president Terence Mulcahy, Sean Healy of AIB, SKAL Republic of Ireland President Sean O’Driscoll, Derrick Lynch of AIB, Diarmuid Leen of AIB Business Banking, Seated: Joan McCarthy Head of Tourism Development Kerry County Council, Forum MC Miriam O’Callaghan & Margaret O’Connor of AIB Business Banking.
PICTURE: MARC O'SULLIVAN