The Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce is a professional body, resourced and committed to providing a strong, single voice for the business community. We shape Killarney’s sustainable development through effective advocacy, brand development, unity of purpose and fostering strong stakeholder relationships.
Our aim is to continuously build Killarney’s reputation and identity as an admired, world-class, sustainable tourism destination, celebrated for its year-round appeal and its quality as a place to live, conduct business, and visit.
What We Do
Our members are our greatest asset and we champion Killarney as a globally-recognised place for tourism, business, innovation and quality of life. Working together we empower and support a successful and inclusive membership, supporting you at every stage with a proactive Chamber team and impactful service.
Defining our Killarney Brand
- Influence & Advocacy
- Strong Business Network
- Project “Brand Killarney”
- Collective and Unified Voice
- Always Relevant for members
- Delivering great events in Killarney
Padraig Treacy
Co-President
Johnny McGuire
Co-President
Bridget O’Keeffe
Senior Executive
Katy Jacobi
Events Manager
Maureen Hegarty
Administration
Our Steering Committees
Membership & Management
Chairperson: Finbarr Kennelly
Brand Communication & Reputation Management
Chairperson: Niamh O’Shea
Advocacy
Chairperson: Niall Kelleher
Events
Chairperson: Dermot Healy
Retail
Chairperson: Anthony Walsh
Sustainability
Chairperson: Mike Stack
A Brief History of our Chamber
Since the 1950s, Killarney’s commercial sector has been well served by various organisations. The Killarney Chamber of Commerce, established in 1968, became the primary representative for this sector, reflecting the increasing role played by non-tourism industries in our local economy during the 1960s and 1970s.
By 1994, after a decade of considerable investment in our tourism infrastructure, key players in the industry joined forces to create Killarney Lakes Marketing, trading as ‘Killarney of the Welcomes‘. Their exclusive focus was to boost tourism revenue by actively promoting Killarney both domestically and abroad as a first-choice visitor destination.
In the early 2000s, members common to both organisations recognised that in Killarney, tourism and commerce are deeply interconnected across nearly all sectors and professions. Motivated by this understanding, a decision was made to merge both organisations, resulting in the creation of the Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce in 2002/2003. This merger ensures a united, comprehensive approach to the development of both the commercial and tourism sectors in our region.
With a heritage steeped in unity and collaboration, the Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce remains committed to driving sustainable growth for our local businesses, promoting Killarney as a year-round world-class destination, and championing initiatives that contribute to our collective prosperity and the vitality of our community.