Be part of the magic that makes Ireland a wonderful place to enjoy a short break.

Deciding what career path you want to take post-school can be tough and filling out your CAO can be super daunting. Imagining a role that matches with your own ambition or envisioned lifestyle can sometimes feel like an impossible task. If the bog-standard 9-5 office life doesn’t seem to be calling your name, and you feel your career could do with a little more dynamism, your future role could be waiting for you in Ireland’s tourism industry.

You might be under the impression that jobs in this sector are limited to part-time roles or seasonal work, but this is not the case. In reality, Ireland’s tourism sector is a multi-million-euro industry that’s powered by a dynamic, dedicated workforce. Jobs in this industry are not stop-gap roles but rather a launchpad to a career you’ll rate. Progression is built into these careers, from entry-level to leadership, and the variety of roles is unparalleled.

To help you explore some career options, we’ve teamed up with Fáilte Ireland to highlight the range of opportunities inherent in the tourism sector. 

Places to Stay

Visitors to Ireland have a huge variety of accommodation options on offer to them. From glamping to four-star hotels, those working in the accommodation sector enjoy work that is equally varied, with positions ranging from hotel managers to guest relations managers to marketing roles on offer.

There are also ample opportunities to climb the career ladder within hotel management, with some multinational hotel chains often offering staff the chance to transfer to sister hotels abroad.

If you’re considering a job that will provide you with transferable skills and the chance to travel, you can learn more about careers in this sector here.

Event Management

Ireland’s show-stopping events, from the Fleadh Cheoil to the St. Patrick’s Day Festival, are world-renowned. Global business conferences and events are also frequently hosted in Ireland in world-class venues such as The Convention Centre Dublin, RDS and Croke Park.

All these events, no matter the size, run seamlessly due to the teams of hard-working event managers and planners, marketing executives, venue coordinators, catering managers, and wider teams behind the scenes who make the magic happen.

So if you pride yourself on your organisation skills and fancy yourself in some aspect of event management, you can check out the full array of potential careers in the events industry right here.

Visitor Attraction and Activity Experiences

Ireland is home to a huge variety of world-class tourist experiences, from surfing along the Wild Atlantic Way to Dublin’s world-class museums and attractions and the people that work in the industry make these experiences all the more special. If you are confident, outgoing and, most of all, passionate about what Ireland has to offer, this is a sector which could complement your interests.

You can learn more about the realm of tourist experiences right here.

Food & Drink

Be part of the sector that makes visits to Ireland extra delicious by checking out careers in the food and drink industry. From waitstaff to executive chefs, mixologists and master brewers, roles in this sector vary hugely.

If you possess a particular passion for all things fine dining after binge-watching too many episodes of MasterChef you can explore careers in the food and drink sector here.

Planning & Exploring

Got a head for research and problem-solving? You may be well suited to a career in the tour guide and travel sector. This workforce ensures that visitors get to their destination smoothly and enjoy the experience once they arrive. This would be a perfect opportunity for those who desire dynamism with a great deal of flexibility available when it comes to shift patterns.

You can get a full understanding of this sector right here.

Attracting Tourists

Tour agencies and destination companies work hard to showcase the very best Ireland has to offer in order to keep the tourism industry thriving. Careers in this particular sector include working for both public bodies and private companies and the roles include everything from copywriters to strategists to marketing executives. If you’re someone who is innovative and creatively minded, a job in this area might very well be for you! 

You can learn more about careers in this field right here.

Ready to dive deep into a career you’ll rate? You can discover the full spectrum of careers in the tourism industry at www.tourismcareers.ie.