Tourism Careers
Tourism employers recognised at Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Awards
Great National Hotels and Resorts presented with the ‘Outstanding Commitment to Employer Excellence Award’
 Thurs 11th June 2026
Tourism businesses setting a high standard in employee engagement and workplace culture have been recognised at the Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Awards 2026, held at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin. The awards celebrate businesses that, through Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme, are driving continuous improvement and creating workplaces that can attract and retain talent, supporting the long-term success of Ireland’s tourism sector.
The Outstanding Commitment to Employer Excellence award was presented to Great National Hotels and Resorts, recognising sustained dedication to embedding best in class people practices and consistently high levels of employee engagement over time. The Excellence Breakthrough Award was presented to Talbot Hotel Cork, recognising the most significant improvement in employee engagement in a single year and highlighting the impact of focused leadership in strengthening workplace culture and employee experience in their business.
Since its launch in 2022, Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme has supported over 300 businesses and positively influenced more than 30,000 employees nationwide, helping to strengthen employee engagement, improve retention and enhance workplace practices.
Pictured: Jenny De Saulles, Director Sector Development, Fáilte Ireland presenting (Left) the Best Employer – Commitment to Employer Excellence Award to Christopher Kenny and Subhanshu Bigasia, Great National Hotels & Resorts and (Right) the Best Employer – Excellence Breakthrough Award to Janice McConnell and Merin Abraham, Talbot Hotel Cork.
Hotel businesses that took home awards on the night included:
Best Employer: Culture and Work Environment: The Hoban Hotel, Kilkenny
Best Employer: Dublin: Aspect Hotel Park West, Dublin
Best Employer: Fairness: PREM Group
Best Employer: Employee Development: The Gateway Hotel, Louth
Best Employer: Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands: Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan
Best Employer: Hotel / Venue: The Bedford Townhouse, Limerick
Best Employer: Management and Leadership: Aspect Hotel Park West, Dublin
Best Employer: Wild Atlantic Way: Hotel Woodstock, Clare
Excellence Breakthrough Award: Talbot Hotel Cork
Outstanding Commitment to Employer Excellence: Great National Hotels and Resorts
Click Here for the full list of winners.
Pictured: Chairperson of Fáilte Ireland Authority, Ruth Andrews; Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke; and CEO, Fáilte Ireland, Caroline Bocquel.
Speaking at the awards, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD said:
“The tourism sector is powered by its people, and the Employer Excellence Programme is playing a critical role in ensuring our people are supported, valued and given the opportunity to thrive. The progress we are seeing across the sector, from improved employee engagement to stronger workplace practices, is very encouraging. These awards recognise businesses that are leading the way, and I congratulate this year’s winners for their commitment to building a more sustainable and attractive tourism workforce, and protecting and promoting our Céad Míle Fáilte.”
Caroline Bocquel, Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland said:
“Tourism is, at its core, a people industry, and the quality of our visitor experience is directly shaped by the people who deliver it. The Employer Excellence Awards recognise those businesses that are placing their people at the centre of their success. The results we are seeing across the programme are clear evidence that a sustained focus on employee engagement, leadership and workplace culture is delivering real benefits, not only for employees, but for business performance and the wider tourism sector. It is particularly encouraging to see the strong re-engagement from businesses and the continued uplift in results across all levels of organisations.”
For more information about Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme – Click Here.
IHF Member Hotels & Guesthouses and tourism industry partners can submit news stories for inclusion by emailing us at hotelnews@ihf.ie