Fáilte Ireland Launches National Consultation on Accessible and Inclusive Tourism

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD has launched Fáilte Ireland's national consultation on Accessible and Inclusive Tourism.

People across Ireland are being invited to share their experiences of accessible and inclusive tourism, helping Fáilte Ireland better understand barriers, opportunities, and priorities for the future development of tourism.

Accessible and inclusive tourism ensures all people can travel, participate, and enjoy visitor experiences with dignity, independence, and equal opportunity. Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Your Voice, Your Journey Visitor Consultation’ aims to understand visitors’ experiences and expectations of accessible and inclusive tourism when travelling in Ireland. It will gather insights into areas including trip planning, transport, accommodation, attractions and visitor experiences.

The consultation will consist of a national accessible survey and follow-up focus groups to explore key themes in more detail.

The consultation has been co-designed with national advocacy organisations representing disability, sensory impairment, age-friendly and inclusion interests.

Caroline Bocquel, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said: "Fáilte Ireland is committed to ensuring that its work is informed by the experiences and perspectives of those they affect, so that Ireland’s tourism offering can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Through this consultation, we want to hear what's working well, where challenges remain and what changes would make the biggest difference. I encourage as many people as possible to share their experiences and ideas."

Minister Burke said: "The Government's Tourism Policy Framework, A New Era for Irish Tourism, sets out a vision for a tourism sector that delivers positive outcomes for visitors, communities and businesses across Ireland. Understanding people’s lived experiences is the first step to ensuring tourism development creates a welcome, accessible and inclusive experience in a way that has real impact."