€350,000 Tourism Boost to Showcase the Gaeltacht as World-Class Visitor Experience

Údarás na Gaeltachta has announced a €350,000 tourism support fund to drive strategic growth in Gaeltacht tourism. The fund will provide grants to small and medium enterprises, community groups, co-operatives and non-profit organisations based in Gaeltacht areas or language planning districts. Applications are open now and close on 30 June 2026.

This scheme will provide investment for high quality tourism experiences and products based around the language and culture of the Gaeltacht. As well as promoting the Irish language, the funding will support the tourism industry in providing permanent employment in the Gaeltacht.

According to research by Amárach Research, 42% of the Irish public have expressed an interest in holidaying in the Gaeltacht, a finding that signals significant untapped potential for language and cultural tourism across the Gaeltacht regions.

Meadbh Seoighe, Tourism Development Manager with Údarás na Gaeltachta says “With four in ten Irish people expressing a desire to holiday in the Gaeltacht, because of the Irish language, the demand is clear, and so is the opportunity. Whether it’s Irish-language cookery classes, guided cultural tours, bilingual signage, or upskilling hospitality staff, there is a whole ecosystem of small tourism projects waiting to flourish. This funding gives those projects the momentum they need.”

The fund also has a clear economic ambition to reduce reliance on seasonal employment by supporting businesses and community organisations to develop off-season tourism products, creating additional, sustainable, year-round jobs in Gaeltacht communities.

Various eligible projects include visitor experiences, tourism infrastructure, digital and marketing development, community tourism initiatives, resource development and training. Partnerships with existing tourism businesses in language planning areas will be actively encouraged.

Údarás na Gaeltachta believes the Irish language gives businesses a competitive advantage in the tourism industry. By making the language visible and audible across new tourism experiences, this fund will deepen the linguistic landscape of the Gaeltacht while attracting visitors seeking something genuinely different.

Applications are open until 30 June 2026 on a pilot basis. Community enterprises, local authorities, entrepreneurs, and state agencies are all eligible to apply through the following link: Scéim Phíolótach Tacaíochta Turasóireachta na Gaeltachta | Deontais | Cabhair a thugaimid | Gnó | Údarás na Gaeltachta