Adventure Tourism Conference to Take Place in The Mournes

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is delighted to act as the main sponsor for Ireland’s Association for Adventure Tourism (IAAT) Annual Conference and will host the event in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The conference will take place in the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 November.

Day one of the conference will offer delegates the opportunity to sample first hand some of the world class experiences that we have to offer tourists within our district. This will be followed by an evening showcase and live music, where local suppliers get plenty of networking opportunities!

The second day of the conference will then feature a series of key insights delivered by industry leaders through talks and panel discussions, to include John McGrillen CEO Tourism NI; Paul Kelly, CEO Fáilte Ireland; Louise Finnegan, Head of Business Partnership, Tourism Ireland, Pól O'Conghaile, Travel Editor Irish Independent; Esther Dobbin, Tourism Manager National Trust and Peter Boland, Campaign Director Alliance for Insurance Reform.

IAAT Chief Executive Brendan Kenny said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to finally bring our Adventure Tourism Conference to Northern Ireland, and specifically to the Visit Mourne destination. It’s a vital period in the recovery of tourism for Ireland and our sector is determined to play its part. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Adventure Island’ reflecting our determination to realise the potential of becoming a world leader in adventure tourism. We look forward to delivering another two days of insight and inspiration, in a breathtakingly beautiful corner of the world.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage said, “We are proud to be the main event sponsor for the 2022 Adventure Tourism Conference. Adventure Tourism is one of the fastest growing and most exciting sectors within Irish tourism, playing a vital role in the success of the wider industry. We are thrilled to be able to provide such a unique platform to showcase the adventure and beauty of Visit Mourne, and I strongly encourage those travelling to the conference to take advantage of the local experience that are on offer.”

IAAT Chairperson Shane Young added, “We are delighted to bring this year’s conference to Northern Ireland. This is our fourth year holding the Conference and, on the back of the success of our most recent event in Sligo, we look forward to delivering another two days of genuine benefit to all delegates attending. If you are involved in activity tourism in any capacity, we strongly recommend coming along.”

For anyone involved in tourism and hospitality or with an interest in joining the industry, this conference is an excellent opportunity to engage with an exciting and rapidly growing sector.
Over the two day conference, delegates will have the opportunity to take part in a range of exciting activities available locally as part of the two-day package option.

Full information and tickets will be available at conference.iaat.ie.