Examining Economic Linkages Between the Irish Convention Market and the Rest of the Economy: A Close-Knit Relationship

The potential of the convention market to generate economic activity is dependent on the strength of its interindustry linkages with the rest of the economy. These economic linkages vary between countries. Using input-output analysis, this study examines the linkages of the Irish international association convention market with the rest of the economy, and assesses its employment and output generating capacity. Findings show that over two-thirds of convention expenditure is spent in sectors with above average backward linkages. Convention expenditure also has considerable employment creating potential and was estimated to generate 15 full-time equivalent jobs per €1 million of spending