Why Ireland for your next Business Event?

Close to home. More to experience than you expect.

For many event planners, taking a meeting, conference or incentive programme outside the UK can mean more travel, additional logistics and more time away from the office.

Ireland offers something different.

Close, well connected and culturally familiar, the island of Ireland gives delegates the experience of travelling abroad without necessarily bringing the added complexity of a more distant international destination.

And with world-class venues, distinctive destinations and experiences that extend well beyond the meeting room, there is plenty for delegates to experience.

Why Ireland?

Easily Accessable

Ireland combines excellent international connectivity with a compact and manageable geography.

Dublin is less than an hour and a half by air from many UK airports, with direct services available from across the country. Belfast, Cork, Shannon, Kerry and other gateways also provide access to different parts of the island for business events.

For international groups, Ireland is particularly well positioned between Europe and North America, with extensive connections to both markets. Dublin and Shannon also offer US Preclearance, helping to make transatlantic travel more straightforward.

Once delegates arrive, the island's compact size makes it possible to combine different destinations and experiences within the same programme.

A city conference one day. A coastal experience, country estate or cultural activity the next.

No EES checks when travelling to Ireland

One more reason Ireland can feel like an easy choice for UK-based events: Ireland is outside the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES).

For UK delegates travelling directly to Ireland, this means they don't face the new EES registration and biometric checks that apply when travelling to participating Schengen-area countries.

For event planners, that's one less consideration when organising group travel which means it helps to keep the journey into Ireland familiar and straightforward.

Less time navigating new border processes. More time getting on with your event.

English-Speaking. Globally Connected. Business-Ready.

As an English-speaking country with a strong knowledge economy, Ireland provides a familiar and accessible environment for UK and international delegates. With 1,200+ multinational companies, leading research institutions and recognised strengths across technology, life sciences, finance and engineering, the island of Ireland offers valuable opportunities for connection, collaboration and knowledge exchange — making it a natural choice for business events that extend beyond the meeting room.

More Than a Meeting Room

Ireland offers a broad range of meeting and event infrastructure, from contemporary conference hotels and convention centres to historic properties, sporting venues, castles and country estates.

Across the island, planners have access to more than 230 venues and hotel event spaces and over 65,000 hotel rooms, alongside a range of dedicated convention centres.

And support is available on the ground too.

Meet in Ireland works with seven convention bureaux across Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Belfast and Derry-Londonderry, providing local knowledge and practical support to event planners.

Whether you're organising a board meeting, conference, incentive programme or corporate gathering, Ireland offers the venues, accommodation and destination support needed to take an event from initial planning through to delivery.

If you want to find out more, we are on the road with Ireland and six of their fantastic partners from 29th September - 1st October in the North of England. Either join them at Food Sorcery, Manchester Deansgate or schedule a meeting with them at a location that is convinient for you. Read more and register here.