Summary: Ireland has unveiled its first Tourism Sectoral Adaptation Plan (2025–2030), designed to protect the tourism industry from the escalating impacts of climate change. The plan sets out clear goals to build resilience, safeguard communities, and ensure the sector remains a cornerstone of Ireland’s economy.
Climate Risks Driving Action
Ireland has faced a series of extreme weather events in recent years — including Storms Bert and Darragh in late 2024, Storm Éowyn in January 2025, and Storm Amy in October — highlighting the urgent need for adaptation. Studies by Met Éireann confirm that climate change is intensifying storms, altering rainfall patterns, and increasing both droughts and heavy rainfall events. Ireland is projected to become warmer and wetter, with significant implications for infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism.
Plan Objectives
The Tourism Sectoral Adaptation Plan, published by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, outlines three core goals:
- Understanding climate impacts: Strengthen knowledge of how climatic variables affect tourism in Ireland.
- Building awareness: Foster shared understanding across the sector, particularly in tourism-dependent communities.
- Enhancing resilience: Reduce the consequences of the most significant climate risks identified in the National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA).
Actions will be overseen by government departments and tourism agencies, ensuring coordinated implementation.
Government Commitment
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke emphasized the sector’s economic importance, noting: “Tourism remains hugely important and provides a significant contribution to the Irish Exchequer. To achieve continued growth, it is critical that we prepare for the implications of climate change, including exploring new opportunities that may arise for Irish tourism.”
The plan is mandated under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and guided by Ireland’s National Adaptation Framework (NAF), which aims to transition to a climate-resilient economy by 2050.
Broader Adaptation Framework
The Tourism Plan is one of 13 sectoral adaptation plans now entering the implementation phase. Other sectors include agriculture, biodiversity, health, transport, and energy. Together, these plans form Ireland’s national strategy to reduce vulnerabilities, enhance resilience, and safeguard communities against climate risks.
Conclusion:
Ireland’s Tourism Sectoral Adaptation Plan represents a landmark step in climate preparedness. By embedding resilience into tourism policy, the government aims to protect both the sector’s economic contribution and the communities that depend on it, ensuring Ireland remains a sustainable and attractive destination in the face of a changing climate.
Minister-for-Enterprise-Tourism-and-Employment-Peter-Burke
