A
cross-sector industry collaboration spanning destination management, national
tourism bodies, regional convention bureaus and transport stakeholders, is set
to test how multimodal travel can reshape the way UK agencies design
international events.
Ireland
Overland (21–25 April 2026) has been developed jointly by Evolve Events, Dublin
Convention Bureau, Kerry Convention Bureau and Meet In Ireland, supported by
key transport stakeholders including Rail Tours Ireland and Irish Ferries, as
well as the Welsh Convention Bureau.
Senior
agency leaders will travel from London to Dublin and Kerry via rail to
Holyhead, ferry across the Irish Sea and rail within Ireland, before returning
by air.
While
rail alternatives to short-haul flights have gained traction in mainland
Europe, Ireland Overland is believed to be one of the first UK-to-Ireland
agency fam trips to intentionally integrate ferry travel as part of a
structured sustainable travel model.
The
journey blends Standard and First Class experiences to show that sustainable
travel can be enriching and accessible to all, not reserved for those with a
bigger budget.
The
partnership has created a fully integrated experience designed to explore
viable, lower-impact routes for future group programmes and to generate
practical findings that can be shared across the industry.
Anna
Peters, director, Evolve Events said: “This
is about advocacy through experience. We don’t want to tell agencies
sustainable travel is possible, we want to show them what it actually feels
like, logistically and creatively.
"By
integrating Standard and First Class rail, ferry crossings and a return flight,
we’re giving planners a genuine, hands-on comparison. They can assess time,
delegate experience, carbon implications, cost considerations and the
commercial reality to take informed options back to their clients."
The
programme will showcase two complementary Irish destinations:
- Dublin, ranked #19 on the Global
Destination Sustainability Index, offering international connectivity and
established business events infrastructure.
- Kerry, ranked #12, providing
immersive, landscape-led experiences increasingly in demand for incentive
and leadership programmes.
Beyond
the destination showcase, the journey itself has been curated as part of the
learning. The rail and sea crossings will incorporate structured networking,
destination storytelling, wellbeing moments and reflection time, demonstrating
how travel can become part of programme design rather than lost productivity.
Sam Johnston, manager, Dublin Convention
Bureau added: “Clients
are under growing pressure around Scope 3 emissions and responsible
procurement. The events industry needs credible alternatives that work in
practice, not just in theory. That’s exactly what this showcase, developed with
our partners at Meet in Ireland, is designed to explore.
"The
ferry element is particularly interesting. Sea crossings are still underused in
UK outbound MICE, yet they offer both emissions advantages and a very different
delegate experience. We want to test whether the journey itself can deliver
both environmental and experiential value.”
Ireland
Overland will document insights from the journey and share findings with the
wider industry, positioning the initiative as a practical case study in
collaborative sustainable event design.
To express interest in participating, contact Anna Peters: [email protected]
| 020 7610 2808
Partners
include:
- Evolve Events
- Dublin Convention Bureau
- Kerry Convention Bureau
- Meet In Ireland
- Rail Tours Ireland
- Irish Ferries
- Meet In Wales
