About Fáilte Ireland 
As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland supports the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Collaborating with government bodies, state agencies, local authorities, industry groups, and representatives to develop tourism across Ireland by creating destination development plans and networks, investing in infrastructure, activities, visitor attractions and festivals. Fáilte Ireland also provides consumer and buyer insights, mentoring, business support, training programs, and buyer platforms, enabling tourism businesses to innovate and grow. 

Meet in Ireland is the official business events brand for the island of Ireland.  It facilitates a partnership between Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland to promote the island overseas as a world class business events destination. Operating under the Meet in Ireland brand, the Business Events Team at Failte Ireland provide meeting planners with a wealth of supports to organise international meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) in Ireland. For more information, visit Meet in Ireland. 

Ireland, often celebrated as the Emerald Isle, is not only rich in stunning landscapes, vibrant heritage and rugged coastlines - it is now leading the charge in sustainable tourism.  

Meitheal is the Irish word for teamwork. Failte Ireland’s annual flagship travel trade event is aptly named Meitheal, bringing groups of buyers and suppliers together to support sustainable growth in Irish tourism. Fáilte Ireland is committed to delivering this event in as sustainable a manner as possible, improving practices year on year.  Meitheal 2025 was held in the breathtaking surroundings of Killarney, County Kerry - ranked Ireland’s most sustainable destination and #19 globally on the 2024 Global Destination Sustainability Index - Meitheal proved that business events and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. 

Organised by Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s National Tourism Development Authority, in partnership with Tourism Ireland, this year’s event brought together over 380 Irish tourism businesses and 255 international buyers from 15 countries, with over 10,000 scheduled sales meetings, anticipated to result in significant new business deals for the sector. Marking 50 years of Ireland hosting tourism trade events, Meitheal 2025 was more than just a celebration of longevity. 

Leading with Purpose

As a government-appointed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Ambassador, Fáilte Ireland actively promotes, raises awareness, and implements the SDGs at local, regional, and national levels. As stewards of Ireland’s global reputation as a leading destination for Business Events, Fáilte Ireland has been proactively embedding responsible practices into every aspect of its work. Meitheal became the embodiment of this mission. From carbon-conscious travel choices to food waste management and community engagement, every decision was made with environmental and social impact in mind.  

This year saw the launch of Meitheal’s Sustainability Policy, which outlines 10 commitments aligned with 7 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These commitments guided the event’s approach across the economic, environmental, and social dimensions, aligning with the core focus of sustainability in Ireland’s National Tourism Policy Framework 2025–2030. Read the Meitheal Sustainability policy here.

Meitheal in Action: Sustainability at Every Step

• Travel with a lighter footprint - this year sustainable transport options were encouraged with delegates traveling around Ireland by coach. This travel choice reduces emissions by approximately 4.5 times compared to short-haul flights. 
• Sustainable Irish trade - international buyers were introduced to Irish trade participating in Fáilte Ireland’s Climate Action Programme, a subsidised initiative that helps businesses reduce costs, improve efficiency, and reduce their environmental impact.  
• Local food sourcing and waste reduction - during Meitheal a strong emphasis was placed on food sourcing from Kerry and as a result delegates enjoyed food that was 75% locally produced. This year, delegates also pre-ordered food choices with an aim of reducing food wastage.  
• Sustainable venues - venues used at Meitheal including The Europe Hotel, The Brehon Hotel and The Gleneagle Hotel are committed to sustainable event practices.  
• Familiarisation trips - for buyers participating in Meitheal, health, wellbeing and sustainability was incorporated into the design of all familiarisation trips itineraries, with outdoor elements and walking being promoted to boost buyer wellbeing.   
• Low-waste, high-impact event design – delegates were encouraged to bring their own water bottles and use the water refill stations on site to reduce single use plastic, there was a dedicated Fáilte Ireland Climate Action Stand, and paper and merchandise were reduced. 

Climate Action Stand, INEC Arena, County Kerry

Social Sustainability in Focus 

Meitheal 2025 went beyond environmental sustainability by focusing on the social impact of the event.  Students from Killarney Community College were invited to take part in interactive sessions including a behind-the-scenes sustainability tour and a workshop on sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity at business events. The diverse career pathways in the tourism sector were highlighted, and insights were captured from a younger, more neurodiverse aware audience. Using an AI transcription app and reusable whiteboards, the experience was both educational and environmentally friendly—reinforcing the idea that sustainable tourism must also be socially inclusive and future-focused. 

Student Sustainability and Inclusivity workshop, the Brehon Hotel 

A Benchmark for Global Events 

As part of their commitment to sustainability, Fáilte Ireland partnered with EarthCheck, the leading scientific benchmarking and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism, to complete the EventCheck process for Meitheal. The EventCheck process is a sustainability verification toolkit that helps event organisers enhance social, environmental, and economic impact management, ensuring that events maintain high sustainability standards and support responsible tourism. 

Both buyers and industry were engaged in the shared mission of reducing the carbon footprint of Meitheal. By utilising an events carbon calculator, the carbon footprint per delegate was measured across food, travel and accommodation, aiming for year-on-year improvements. 

By weaving sustainability into every layer of Meitheal, Fáilte Ireland is not only transforming how tourism events are run—it’s setting a benchmark. As the climate crisis challenges destinations worldwide, Ireland is leading with a simple yet powerful message: sustainability is not an add-on, it’s the future of tourism. 

Contact our team to find out how we can help you bring your sustainable business event to Ireland.