Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference 2025: Key Takeaways
The 2025 Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference took place on 23 January at the Armada Hotel in Co. Clare, chosen for its strong sustainability credentials complimented by its scenic coastal setting and top notch hospitality. The event brought together Irish and international leaders in sustainable tourism, offering practical insights, inspiring stories, and vibrant networking opportunities. Here’s some key takeaways from our speakers:
Key Takeaways From The Inspiring Sustainability Speakers
Darina Allen, Ballymaloe Cookery School & Organic Farm School
Darina reminded us that every decision matters. She shared the Ballymaloe Café story, emphasising the value of working with local producers, investing in staff training, and connecting visitors with nature to foster biodiversity awareness. Her call to action: create clusters of like-minded businesses and share knowledge.
Fiona McKenna, Clare Tourism Development DAC
Fiona highlighted certification as a roadmap for sustainability, stressing transparency and data-driven decisions. She encouraged organisations to share supplier lists and embed ethical values into their core vision.
James Chilton, KPMG Future Analytics
James explored tourism’s role in creating better places, underlining the power of conversation and collaboration. Emotional connections to destinations, he noted, enrich experiences for both visitors and residents.
Barry Rogers, Dublin City Tourism Unit
Barry focused on building diverse teams and fostering a collaborative mindset. He reinforced the impact of certification and the importance of transparent data, while urging businesses to learn from sustainability leaders.
Kevin Heapes, Pure Space
We had a lot of interaction from everyone in the room on the day. The energy in the room was palpable with many experiences being shared. During our panel discussion, Kevin’s shared a simple yet powerful message: do the right thing, even when it’s not mandatory, and uphold ethical practices at all times.
Bernard Cahill, The Armada
Bernard encouraged action over perfection. During the Armada sustainability tour, he showcased initiatives balancing environmental goals with business viability, from staff engagement to practical eco-friendly measures.
Hazel Hurley, Graphic Recorder
Hazel addressed the importance of well-being in sustainability and the concept of “green polishing” or greenwashing – something we all need to be very conscious of, in particular with EU legislation coming down the line to prevent misleading claims.
John Burke, The Armada
John shared his vision for staying in business for another 25 years by working with like-minded people and continuously investing in the business. He discussed the importance of balancing environmental goals with guest satisfaction and the impact of creating a better working environment for staff. One example was the upgrade of their kitchens to more energy efficient appliances, which also create nicer places for chefs to work, with fewer potential burns and a calmer environment due to noise reduction.
Eoin Cluskey, Bread41
Eoin emphasised the importance of having a strong vision and core values. He shared examples of how Bread 41 is making a positive impact through community-led initiatives and sustainability projects. Eoin also discussed the value of certification in providing a framework for sustainability efforts.
Adam Harris, AsIAm
Adam shared insights on making tourism experiences more accessible for autistic people and the importance of community involvement. At AsIAm they offer fantastic support to help you with this goal. He discussed the impact of creating sensory-friendly environments, be it in your town, city or workplace, and the value of training and accreditation for organisations. “Creating a more autism-friendly environment is actually creating a nicer place for everyone”.
Brendan Dunford, Burren Beo Trust
Brendan highlighted the importance of engaging farmers in conservation efforts, investing in nature and the positive impact tourism can have on landscapes. He cited projects like ReFarm, where tourism and tourists directly support biodiversity, giving the example of CIE Tours guests who with each trip they make would be investing in biodiversity conservation through the ReFarm project.
Rosin Finlay, Sustainable Tourism Network
Rosin highlighted the interconnectedness between tourism, farming, and nature, calling for reinvestment in landscapes to tackle the biodiversity crisis.
Bronagh O’Rourke, Burren Farm Experience
Bronagh discussed the importance of connecting people with place and protecting biodiversity through farm tours. She shared examples of how tours are making a positive impact on visitors that are in turn brought home with them as well as investing in the viability and profitability of their farm.
Ray Ó Foghlú, Hometree
Ray stressed the role of communities in driving change and connecting visitors to nature through collaborative efforts, something that is seen clearly through the work of Hometree at their maintenance and ESG days.
Tina O’Dwyer, The Tourism Space
A poignant point made by Tina was around the broader purposes of tourism and its role in making communities viable. After all, tourism here in Ireland has a great focus on people.
Marine Projects
The conference also featured discussions on marine projects, including the use of underwater drones to develop seabeds and protect the marine ecosystem. These are our underwater forests that can sometimes be forgotten about. The Green Ocean Foundation was also mentioned as a project that is using oysters to clean up the waters of Dublin Bay.
Conclusion
The Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference 2025 provided valuable insights and practical examples of how tourism can drive positive change for communities, businesses, and the environment. The speakers’ diverse perspectives and experiences highlighted the importance of collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement in sustainability efforts. As we move forward, let us take these lessons to heart and work together to create a more sustainable and inclusive world.
