13 May 2015

Details of a major international aviation industry conference being hosted in Ireland were formally announced today by Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe TD, together with Carol O'Donoghue, Route Development & Marketing Manager, Kerry Airport and Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland.  From June 3rd to 5th Kerry Airport will become Ireland’s first airport to host one of Europe’s leading tourism and aviation conferences, CONNECT Aviation Conference. 

The three day event taking place in Killarney will feature 450 key industry influencers, representing 50 airlines and over 150 airports, as well as other service providers and international travel and aviation press, who will be coming to Ireland and to Kerry - many of them for the first time.

The Conference, which is being supported by Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, will offer delegates workshops, seminars, exhibitions, one-to-one organised meetings and social networking, with the backdrop of Ireland’s jewel in the tourism crown.

Adding his support for the Conference, Minister Donohoe stated “I commend Kerry Airport and all of the stakeholders for bringing so many key aviation influencers to Ireland, and to Kerry.  It is perfectly in tune with our “People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025” policy, where we plan to increase employment in the sector by one-fifth to 250,000.  To grow employment we need to increase inbound tourism and this conference gives us an ideal opportunity to do this.”

Minister Donohoe added “As well as Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, who I know are playing a strong supporting role in welcoming the delegates to the conference, delegates will see first-hand what great hospitality and professional tourism businesses there are on the ground in Kerry. With generations of success and experience, they are ready to support new routes and new operators who wish to include Kerry, and the surrounding region, as a location.  Kerry Airport, with its access point through Dublin, is convenient for business travel and also for holiday makers who are brought right into the heart of the tourism mecca and into the heart of our beautiful Wild Atlantic Way.”

Speaking about the upcoming Conference, Denis Cregan, Chairman of Kerry Airport stated “This is an enviable opportunity for Kerry and for Ireland, and comes at a great time for the tourism sector.  With ambitious plans for revenue from overseas tourism in Ireland to grow by €1.5 billion to €5 billion by 2025, industry stakeholders in Ireland are being given the opportunity to meet some of the key decision makers as they plan for the coming years.”

He added “Thanks to the support of Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, and together with CONNECT, the Conference organisers, we are able to showcase everything that Kerry has to offer, with exhibition opportunities, a gala dinner featuring all local fare, and an evening event showcasing the Wild Atlantic Way featuring artisan food and drink producers, musicians and other personalities and industry experts who will give them a lasting flavour of what Kerry and Ireland has to offer international visitors.  As with everyone who visits Kerry, we know that lasting friendships and connections will be made over the three days of the Conference, and we invite any interested organisations to connect with us and become part of this very important event so that they too can benefit from the opportunities on offer.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said “Tourism Ireland is delighted to support the 2015 CONNECT aviation conference. With hundreds of representatives from all the major airlines and airports due to attend, the conference is an exciting opportunity for Kerry and Ireland. As an island, convenient, direct, non-stop flights are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism. Tourism Ireland is committed to working with airlines and airports, to stimulate demand for new flights and to promote existing routes to Ireland.”

For further details on the conference visit http://www.connect-aviation.com/ and to learn more on how to exhibit or participate in the three day showcase visit www.kerryairport.ie.