Introduce a grant scheme and VAT exemption for those involved in business tourism.

PCO’s in Spain and Portugal enjoy a VAT Exemption on their services when a client books those services through a PCO. In the 2019 Global Rankings of numbers of Conferences held by City please note the following:

2nd place Lisbon
4th place Barcelona
5th place Madrid
16th place Dublin

The business conference sector is fearful of being overlooked and forgotten in this week’s stimulus plan. The Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers – AIPCO – wants a grant scheme and a VAT exemption for business tourism to form part of the plan. Resources for Fáilte Ireland – to secure the immediate future of the business tourism sector and to secure new leads for next year – should be significantly increased, it said.

“While international conferences fall under the banner of tourism in the minds of many, they are equally important in generating business and supporting multiple sectors,” said AIPCO chairman Ronan Flood.

Read the full Independent Article here

Read the Irish Examiner Article here