The employment in the event catering sector in Ireland has shown significant growth since 2013, standing at 13.02 thousand full-time equivalents (FTE) in 2023. From 2013 to 2023, employment in this sector has seen substantial fluctuations, with dramatic increases notably in 2016 (63.55%) and 2019 (48.49%), counterbalanced by a significant drop in 2020 (-23.1%) due to external factors such as the global pandemic. Over the last five years, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 19.24%, and we observed a year-on-year growth of 21.45% in 2023.
Future trends to watch for include increasing digital transformation in catering services, a shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly practices, and a potential rise in demand for hybrid event solutions combining in-person and virtual elements. These factors are projected to shape the growth trajectory, indicated by a forecasted CAGR of 7.85% over the next five years, reaching a total growth rate of 45.91% by 2028.
