Inspiring Sustainable Tourism - 2025
Now in its sixth year, our annual Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference is a thought-provoking, educational and inspirational day with amazing speakers, panel discussions and vibrant networking opportunities. Buy your ticket now!
- Sustainable Tourism Network member discount available: An additional 20% discount applies for members. Contact us for your member discount BEFORE booking your ticket. Member discount cannot be refunded after ticket booking.
- Ticket prices after 31 Oct 2024: €145 + vat.
Line-up and Panellists (more to be announced)
The Venue
We are thrilled to announce that our next Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference will take place in Co Clare at the wonderful Armada Hotel.
The Armada was chosen because this business is a committed member of the Sustainable Tourism Network and continuously shows great dedication to being a business that delivers positive impacts on its local social and environmental landscape while reducing negative ones. It’s also a great place to stay, and we’re already looking forward to the post-conference sauna overlooking the beach at Spanish Point! Delegates can avail of a very generous room rate at the Armada on 22 and 23 Jan 2025 of €149 if they mention on booking that they are attending this conference. Tel. +353 (0) 65 707 9000 to book your room.
The Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference is packed with insights from both international and Irish leaders in their fields. And you’ll receive practical advice, as well as inspiration, from business owners and employees that have transformed their operations and taken the lead in responsible, sustainable and regenerative tourism.
Tickets are limited and will sell out to this must-attend event for future-focused tourism businesses that want to improve their sustainability credentials.
Line-up and Panellist Bios
Darina Allen, Ballymaloe Cookery School & Organic Farm School
A true trailblazer over many decades on the Irish culinary, sustainability and organic scene, Darina Allen co-founded the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983 and, more recently, the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School. Located in East Cork, students flock from all over the world to hone their culinary skills at this sustainable, biodiverse farm-to-table project. The core philosophy of the farm and the school is sustainable food production whilst also building up wildflower meadows, recording insects, swift boxes and house martens, not cutting hedgerows and planting edible hedgerows for wildlife and shelter. It is a circular economy with zero waste. Core to Darina’s work is sharing ideas on food sustainability with others through the cookery school. Darina is also a founder member of the Irish Farmers’ Market Movement, East Cork Slow Food Convivia Leader, Chair of Artisan Food Forum and a Farming for Nature Ambassador. She is the author of 21 bestselling cookbooks and somehow finds time to write a weekly food column for the Irish Examiner.
Adam Harris, Found & CEO, AsIAm 
Adam Harris is the Founder and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity. Adam founded AsIAm based on his own experiences growing up as an Autistic person in Ireland. In addition to his leadership at AsIAm, Adam was appointed to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in July 2020 and serves as a Executive Council Member for Autism Europe. He is a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awardee and has sat on and advised many government consultative and policy committees on disability rights and inclusion, which have helped shape national policies for a more inclusive society. A passionate public speaker and advocate, Adam regularly contributes to media and conferences in Ireland and overseas, engaging with government and the public to promote greater understanding and acceptance of Autistic individuals. His work has positioned AsIAm as a cornerstone of autism advocacy in Ireland, driven by his belief that Ireland must become a country in which every Autistic person is accepted ‘as they are’ – equal, valued and respected.
Barry Rogers, Head of the Dublin City Tourism Unit 
Barry Rogers heads up Dublin City Tourism Unit which is responsible for sustainable tourism development across Dublin city. The unit is also responsible for the Smart Tourism Programme for Dublin which is focused on driving innovation in the tourism industry and establishing Dublin as a world-leading ‘Smart Destination’. Dublin was the first Irish city to sign the Glasgow Declaration on Sustainable Tourism Development and has recently announced its commitment to undertaking Global Sustainable Tourism Council destination sustainability certification. The unit also recently won the prestigious Global Tourism Innovation award and Dublin was also awarded the title 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism. Barry has previously worked with Tourism Ireland in the areas of strategy development, corporate governance, policy, and tourism data and Insights. He has a BA and MA in Tourism Economics and Policy from the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies at the University of Limerick. Dublin City Tourism Unit is a member of the Sustainable Tourism Network.
Bronagh O’Rourke, Managing Director, Burren Farm Experience 
Bronagh O’Rourke is a qualified eco tour guide and conservation ranger, and is passionate about wellness and the environment. She has channelled this energy and skill into developing a multi-faceted business on the family farm which allows for a more family focused lifestyle. Established in 2019, the Burren Farm Experience tour business enables people to gain insight into the history and formation of the farm and the landscape of the Burren. Bronagh also created the Burren Premium Beef brand in 2020 and sells their Angus and Hereford beef directly to restaurants and online customers. The business works with a local artisan butcher and delivers orders directly to the door. Both the beef and tourism businesses have evolved into highly sought-after, award-winning products which complement each other. Bronagh’s long-term strategy is to improve the land for biodiversity and embrace climate change mitigation measures such as carbon sequestration through the protection of their woodlands. She also wants to give her visitors the space to reconnect with nature in a unique, impactful and memorable way. Burren Farm Experience is a member of the Sustainable Tourism Network.
Ray Ó Foghlú, Development Lead, Hometree 
Ray Ó Foghlú is the development lead at nature restoration charity Hometree which is based in Ennistymon, Co Clare. What began as a tree-planting charity grew into a project that endeavours to deeply connect people with nature, and facilitates a wide variety of fundamental projects to address both Ireland’s declining biodiversity and the unfolding climate challenge. Ray runs the charity’s farm programmes, such as Illaun FarmForest EIP, as well as their cultural projects, including Dinnseanchas & Ardnaculla Summer School. His background is in environmental science where he specialised in forestry policy and practise. Ray’s areas of interest are forest ecology, native woodland restoration, farm woodland integration, and the role of culture in change. He is a 2021 Nuffield scholar, where he looked into the barriers to afforestation.
Hazel Hurley, Graphic Recorder, Illustrator and Community Artist 
Hazel Hurley is a graphic recorder, illustrator and community artist based between Cork city and Clonakilty. Since 2016, she has worked with a variety of organisations at local, national and international level, bringing their projects, stories and visions to life by creating engaging visuals, be it live graphic recording, illustrations or animations. Much of her work has focused on equality, human rights, wellbeing and climate action, and she has worked extensively with the Traveller community. Career highlights include being part of the team that facilitated the Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, and working for the United Nations at the COP27 Climate Conference in Egypt in 2022. Hazel is passionate about the environment and sustainable living and completed the permaculture course in Kinsale College in 2021. She is a core member of the Cork-based community tree planting group Trees Please. Hazel took part in An Taisce’s 2023 climate ambassador programme with and is currently studying for a certificate in spoken Irish. Labhair Gaeilge léi!
Brendan Dunford, Founder Burren Beo Trust & Farming for Nature 
Brendan Dunford is a founder of Burren Beo Trust, a charity which aims to connect people to their places and their role in caring for them. Focusing on the wellbeing of people and place, Burrenbeo’s work includes monthly walks and talks, conservation volunteering, festivals like Burren in Bloom and Burren Winterage, education projects like Heritage Keepers and hands-on nature restoration initiatives such as The Hare’s Corner. Brendan is also a founder of Farming for Nature and ReFarm which aim to acknowledge, celebrate and support farmers across Ireland and Europe who work to protect nature. Based in Co Clare, Brendan was manager of Burren Programme (2010-23) which employed an innovative, results-based payment system to incentivise Burren farmers to improve local biodiversity, water quality and landscape, delivering consistent social, economic and environmental gains – and garnering national and international accolades –during its lifetime. In 2011 Brendan became a fellow of Ashoka’s global network of social entrepreneurs and in 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Galway for his work in championing biodiversity. He has served two terms on the advisory boards of both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Heritage Council. He is a regular contributor to the Irish Farmers Journal and an occasional contributor to other publications.
Fiona McKenna, Sustainable Destination Development Officer, Co Clare 
Fiona McKenna is a Sustainable Destination Development Officer for the local authority of Co Clare. This role, the first role of its kind in Ireland, focuses on achieving a sustainable destination certification for Co Clare in line with Clare’s Tourism Strategy 2030. Fiona holds a PhD in Sustainable Tourism Destination Management from the Atlantic Technological University, Sligo. Her PhD looked at Sustainable Tourism Indicator Systems and her research centres on supporting tourism destinations by collecting baseline data on indicators to monitor the impacts of tourism and develop strategies to address sustainability challenges, including climate change mitigation. Fiona also holds a BSc in Biology from Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) and a Masters in Environmental Sustainability from University College Dublin (UCD), where she graduated with first-class honours. Before transitioning into sustainable tourism, worked in regulatory affairs, advising pharmaceutical companies to ensure compliance with European directives on waste management and environmental regulations. Fiona is invested in developing strategies that create more sustainable practices within tourism that respect and collaborate with local communities, preserve cultural heritage, and protect natural environments.
James Chilton, Assoc Director, KPMG Future Analytics Consulting 
James Chilton is an expert in spatial planning and destination development with more than 24 years’ experience in the fields of planning, tourism and recreation. He has worked in Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, Portugal and Georgia, engaging in destination planning, strategic tourism master-planning, feasibility analysis, recreation planning and urban regeneration. His notable projects include several major destination plans and county tourism strategies; a recreation trails strategy for the Algarve; a heritage tourism project in Georgia; and a visitor management and sustainable tourism plan for Holy Island, Co Clare. These projects all share the common themes of balancing diverse interests to achieve optimal outcomes for local communities while providing engaging experiences for visitors. James has led significant place-making projects, as well as numerous feasibility studies and funding applications. He led the project team for the successful €20.2m Westport Estate Platforms for Growth application, a Destination Town application for Carlow Town, and a recent €7.2m Urban Regeneration and Development Fund application for Carrick Campus. James is a Chartered Town Planner with a BA (Hons) in Town and Country Planning, a postgraduate degree in Town Planning from Bristol, and an MSc in Tourism, Conservation, and Sustainable Development. Since 2012, he has served as a national jury member for the Irish Blue Flag Beach Awards.
John Burke, CEO of Armada 
John Burke is CEO of Armada, which comprises Armada Hotel, House and Farm. This business was the first hotel to achieve the internationally recognised B Corp status in Ireland and is now part of a global community of businesses that are collectively working to develop a better way of doing business, achieving a high standard of social, environmental performance, transparency and accountability. John studied Hotel Management in the Shannon College before taking on the family business at age 21. The Armada employs 230 people in high season and has a year round work force of 190. John also has investments in other tourism interests in Co Clare also, including the Fiddle + Bow collection. The Armada hotel is a member of the Sustainable Tourism Network.
More great panellists, speakers and contributors will be announced in the coming weeks. Watch this space!
- Early bird rate (available till Friday 31 Oct 2024): €120 + vat.
- Sustainable Tourism Network member discount available: An additional 20% discount applies for members. Contact us for your member discount BEFORE booking your ticket. Member discount cannot be refunded after ticket booking.
- Ticket prices after 31 Oct 2024: €145 + vat.
What They Said About Previous Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conferences
Sponsors Of The Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference 2025
For more information on County Clare’s Sustainability Journey visit https://visitclare.ie/sustainable and https://www.burrengeopark.ie/sustainable-tourism/.
Exhibitors at the Sustainability Hub
Book Your Ticket Now For Our Jan 2025 Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference
Our Last Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference Line-up (Jan 2024)
Our fantastic line-up includes:
Dianne Dredge, Founder of the Tourism CoLab
Keynote: From stakeholders to careholders
Dianne Dredge is one of those people who walks towards trouble in tourism. She is not only a changemaker and rulebreaker, she also holds space for others wishing to do the same. She is curious about what makes people lean in and become change agents or why they run away. Dianne shares key insights from the neuroscience of change, her practice in deep community engagement, and working with the trouble so that we can transform tourism for positive impact. Dianne is the Founder of online tourism education agency and consultancy, the Tourism CoLab. Dianne has worked with everyone from small community groups to huge organisations like the OECD, and is focused on inspiring meaningful change making. [Remote speaker.]
Colm O’Regan, Comedian
Laughing Your Way to Action
Colm O’Regan is worried about All The Terrible Environment News. But in a bid to turn fear into hope and action, he promises to lead you on a comedic dance as he grapples with Everything Being Broken and how he (and you!) might start to help. Along the way, find out what Greta Thunberg in common with Irish aul lads, how to harness the power of Liveline and a simple trick for the first step in Doing A Bit.
Louise Byrne, Killarney Coffee Cup Scheme & Killarney Park Hotel
Killarney’s Journey To Becoming Single-Use Coffee Cup Free
Louise Byrne has led the charge in transforming her town. Since July 2023, Killarney has virtually eliminated its use of 23,000 single-use cups weekly, saving over a million cups annually. Louise believes that with determination, similar projects can flourish anywhere. Over 50 local businesses have joined this campaign, and Louise will outline the project’s process, involving face-to-face meetings, research, negotiations, community gatherings, video campaigns, and ongoing discussions.
Charlie Cotton, ecollective
Understand Your Carbon Footprint, Reduce It Effectively & Save Money
Charlie Cotton is a carbon geek with a gift for explaining carbon emissions in layman’s terms and how to reduce them. He has helped numerous organisations understand where their footprints come from and how to reduce them. He is the founder of ecollective, a carbon consultancy focused on measuring and reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint.
Martha Farrell, Maharees Conservation Association
How One Small Community Took on Climate Action and Transformed Their Future
Martha Farrell is a founding member of coastal community group Maharees Conservation Association. It has had huge success protecting the unique coastline & natural heritage of the Maharees in Kerry, raising awareness of the cultural & ecological importance of the area & ensuring the viability of the Maharees community and its tourism businesses. The association collaborates with Kerry County Council, NUI Galway, NPWS, Clean Coasts an Taisce, Munster Technological University & University of Limerick. Martha will talk about this inspiring &effective collaborative work.
Kris Claes, Owner, Slieve Elva B&B
Slieve Elva’s Sustainability Transformation
Kris Claes bought Slieve Elva B&B in the Burren, Co Clare, with his wife Ireen, in 2014. The business became the first B&B in Ireland to achieve Sustainable Travel Ireland’s prestigious gold standard of certification in May 2023. Kris will discuss 10 years of transformation at the B&B, including the environmental changes, the €8,000 saved and how taking a broad-spectrum approach and working towards certification embedded them in their community and improved their business’s reputation.
Lisa Moran, Sustainability Marketing & Communications Manager, Powerscourt Estate
Powerscourt Estate’s Sustainability Mission
The vision for Powerscourt Estate is be known as an iconic Irish sustainable visitor attractions, which is recognised on a global stage as a place of immense beauty and biodiversity. Initiatives have included an integrated energy management system, a waste reduction plan, and biodiversity initiatives like wildflower meadows, a tree-planting programme, and a bee sanctuary in the walled gardens. In 2023, Powerscourt Estate, Gardens and Waterfall become Ireland’s first visitor attraction to be certified by Sustainable Travel Ireland. Their long-term mission is to be Net Zero by 2025. Lisa will discuss the ongoing sustainability journey.
Barry Flanagan, Owner, Erne Water Taxi
The Evolution of Erne Water Taxi
Barry has brought over 20,000 people by boat out on Lough Erne to enjoy its heritage and landscape. His luxury trips are led by a local guide who tells the story of a unique and beautiful landscape. In 2021, he invested in the first fully electric passenger boat on the island of Ireland. It is also powered by solar. He also has a boat that is wheelchair accessible, making the experience more accessible. A big believer in collaboration, he has forged strong relationships with many local attractions and businesses. Barry will talk about how he wants all people to be able to experience the special Lough Erne landscape, its calming effect and its rich history. And he’ll talk about the importance of collaboration, community and culture.
