University of Galway’s Professor Peter McHugh picked up the ‘Conference Ambassador of the Year’ honour at Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards for his exceptional efforts in going above and beyond in his role as a Conference Ambassador, bringing the 11th European Solid Mechanics Conference to Galway in 2022.
Professor McHugh has been bringing groups of researchers in his field of engineering together in Galway for 20 years but in 2022 brought over 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries to Galway for a five-day conference which contributed over €1.8 million to the Irish economy.
There was further success for the University of Galway with the ‘Sustainability’ award going to the ‘EUGEO 2019 (Association of Geography Societies in Europe )’, which took place in the university in 2019, exemplifying its commitment to environmental responsibility. Prof. Frances Fahy and Dr. Kathy Reilly, from the College of Geography and Archaeology at the University of Galway, were responsible for bidding for, and winning the conference for Ireland.
In total, Fáilte Ireland celebrated the outstanding contributions of 104 conference ambassadors, including renowned academics and industry leaders, at an award ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.
The ambassadors were acknowledged for their expertise, industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to successfully hosting an international conference in Ireland between 2018 and 2022. Collectively these conferences have contributed €125 million to the Irish economy and have made a positive impact on our nation.
Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Programme was developed to support individuals who want to host an international conference in Ireland. The programme provides assistance and financial support at every stage of the event, from the initial bidding, through to the marketing and promotion of the event. Ambassadors are sector leaders or influencers in their field and since the programme was established in 2009, Fáilte Ireland has supported almost 3,000 ambassadors in their bids to host conferences and events worth more than €2 billion.
The ‘Social Impact & Legacy’ award was conferred on the ‘WONCA World Rural Health Conference 2022,’ led by Professor Liam Glynn and which took place at the University of Limerick.
The award ceremony, which was attended by potential and established ambassadors, government officials, and trade stakeholders, also recognised “Regional Champions” for their exceptional dedication to promoting their regions for international conferences.
Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland Paul Kelly said the Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards showcase the wide range of talent and commitment of our network of conference ambassadors. Their expertise, industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to successfully hosting international conferences in Ireland is nothing short of exceptional. They have created value that extends way beyond the realm of tourism and have exemplified what it truly means to be a conference ambassador. At Fáilte Ireland, we are always looking to recruit new conference ambassadors to help bring future business to Ireland. I hope that those at different stages of their ambassador journey are inspired and motivated by the talented ambassadors recognised at the awards and by hearing their stories of success.”
Niamh Stack of the Galway Convention Bureau said it was wonderful to see so many Galway Ambassadors recognised as part of Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards.
“We are very proud to have two of the overall winners hail from the region.The Ambassador of the Year, awarded to Professor Peter McHugh who led the bid to bring the ‘11th European Solid Mechanics Conference’ to Galway in July 2022. This was the largest International Conference to be held on the University of Galway campus, bringing together over 1,200 delegates to Galway for a 5-day intense programme.
The Spotlight Award for Sustainability, which demonstrated leadership by consciously engaging in responsible consumption in delivering a sustainable event, was deservedly given to Professor Frances Fahy and Dr Kathy Reilly, following their comprehensive submission based on the 7th Congress of the Association of Geographical Societies in Europe Conference, held at the University of Galway in May 2019. ? All of the Galway Awardees are fantastic ambassadors for the region, and we are extremely lucky to have such?a diverse group of individuals that are passionate about Galway and hosting their international events here.”
Conference ambassadors come from diverse backgrounds and industries and have been instrumental in helping to bring 810 conferences to Ireland between 2018 and 2022, which were attended by 270,000 international delegates across Ireland’s major business hubs - Dublin, Cork, Kerry, The Shannon Region and Galway. These events were worth €443 million to the Irish economy and are often held during off-peak seasons. They have not only augmented hotel and industry supplier revenues but have also contributed to positive social and environmental impacts.
Each international delegate is valued at more than three times the average leisure tourist, underlining the importance of this sector.
