Growing Emphasis On Key Economic Driver
Tourism, hospitality, food and drink are significant opportunities for economic development and growth, and in turn help to further enhance those places which make an area attractive to residents and visitors alike.
Fingal County Council recognises this and has consistently invested significant resources in supporting the sector through the development and promotion of Fingal as a tourism destination within Dublin. This has included the development and management of a significant Council owned product and experience portfolio; consisting of visitor and cultural attractions, festivals and events, and the abundant natural amenities and heritage resources with which the county has been blessed.
In turn Tourism has been a key economic driver for Fingal, with over 500 local businesses in the sector supporting over 8,000 jobs, and significant further growth potential to be unlocked in a county which comprises just short of 50% of the Dublin region by area, is well situated and connected as the home of Dublin airport and the hub of our national motorway network, and has a fast growing, young, and diverse population.
Recognising this, in 2024 Fingal County Council published two key documents which demonstrate a strong statement of ongoing commitment to tourism and recognition of its economic value to the County. Running until 2029, the Fingal Tourism Strategy and Fingal Food & Drink Policy are blueprints for success in the coming years.
This message was highlighted recently at the inaugural ‘Fingal Tourism Together’ symposium held in November in Crowne Plaza, Blanchardstown. This new event in the calendar gave local industry and stakeholders an opportunity to come together to network, collaborate, and hear more about the key achievements delivered to date as a result, including:
- Critical work on collaboration, including the delivery of a comprehensive collaboration framework for the Fingal Tourism sector.
- The establishment and growth of the Fingal Food Circle, a fledgling food and drink network set up with the support of the Council which launched its new brand as part of the council’s own Flavours of Fingal event held in July.
- A pilot food market programme across the county over the summer consisting of a series of new weekend food markets delivered in collaboration with Fingal Food Circle and Fingal Farmers Group. A development plan for future food market establishment and growth will now follow in 2026.
- Fingal County Council and the Fingal Food Circle partnering with Fáilte Ireland on a pilot project under the Dublin Food & Drink Tourism Action Plan.
- The selection of Fingal by Fáilte Ireland as a hub for the new ‘Ireland, Home of Halloween’ Destination Development Pilot Scheme, and the development of a comprehensive programme of events for the month of October which was supported and then marketed by both Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland as part of an ongoing five-year commitment.
Of particular interest to all attending was news of a new Fingal Destination brand currently in development which will launch in Q1 2026. Delegates also warmly welcomed news of a comprehensive product and experience audit already underway, which will deliver solid baseline data upon which to build ongoing robust performance reporting for the sector locally, to quantify further investment into the future.
Senior Executive Officer, Tourism & Cultural Development, Fingal County Council.
