The gala dinner is huge in the corporate world.

Now Fáilte Ireland has launched a new €1.4million investment scheme to stimulate the development of new or enhanced gala dinner venues of scale in Cork, Kerry, Dublin, Galway and the Shannon Region in an attempt to attract bigger international conferences, incentive trips, and large corporate meetings.

Up to €200,000 will be allocated per venue as part of the initiative, which tourism chiefs believe will boost Ireland’s attractiveness for international conferences and events.

The gala dinner venue Investment Scheme, under Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth investment programme, will fund up to seven unique gala dinner venues with the capacity to seat at least 250 guests, banquet style.

Project elements could include construction, refurbishment, fit-out, upgrading/installation of catering facilities, services, utilities, and toilet/washroom facilities both indoors and outdoors.

Lack of gala venues ‘having a detrimental impact’ on recovery 

Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Regional Development, Paul Keeley said that, while Ireland has always punched above its weight in winning business events, the lack of off-site gala dinner venues of scale is “having a detrimental impact on the recovery and growth of Ireland’s business events sector”.

“The team at Fáilte Ireland have a pipeline of €1.1billion of international events up until 2032 but the sector has never been so competitive as destinations all over the world compete for this valuable business,” Keeley said.

“Enhancing our gala dinner venue offering through the Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme will be crucial in the continued recovery of this lucrative sector.”

Head of Commercial Development at Fáilte Ireland, Paul Mockler said it is vital that Ireland’s new and enhanced gala dinner venues have what would be considered the ‘wow’ factor:

“This investment in Ireland’s offering will help broaden our appeal as a destination and will help contribute to the spread of economic and social benefits of the business events industry to Cork, Galway, Kerry and the Shannon Region as well as our capital city,” he said.