The survey, conducted by Cork Chamber in cooperation with Cork Airport, provides key insights into the priorities of business travellers and airport users in Cork, as well as their most wanted destinations for future connectivity. Cork Airport plays a key role in the economy of Ireland’s southern region, contributing over €1 billion to the national economy in 2023.

The continued health and growth of Cork Airport is crucial to sustain the region’s economic prosperity into the future as 2024 shapes up to be another record-breaking year in terms of passenger numbers. The survey results, published today, found that: New York emerged as the most sought-after future route for users of Cork Airport, cited by 48% of respondents as their preferred US destination.

Almost a quarter of respondents cited a European capital city as a priority for future connectivity, while Geneva emerged as the preferred European destination among respondents.

50% of respondents cited the Americas as the region they conduct the most business with when travelling long-haul. London is the most utilised route from Cork Airport at present (40%), with Heathrow emerging as the preferred hub for travellers from Cork (29%), followed closely by Amsterdam-Schiphol (27%).

84% of respondents stated that direct connectivity into Cork was important for colleagues travelling from overseas.

From an inbound tourism perspective, respondents cited New York, Boston and Chicago as the top three most wanted new routes to attract visitors. In Europe, Berlin and Madrid emerged as favourites.

Respondents rated Cork Airport highly for its ease of use and customer service, with average ratings of 3.5 out of 4.

Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, welcomed the publication of the survey results: “Cork enjoys good connectivity to major international hubs currently, which has proved vital for businesses in the region. Growing outbound connectivity to key destinations across Europe is critical for the region’s future economic growth, as is direct connectivity into Cork for businesses operating here.”

Mr Healy continued: “Many businesses indicate that connections with the USA would be game-changing, not merely from a business perspective alone, but also with a view to increasing inbound tourism. Business travel and inbound tourism have both made healthy recoveries from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; now is the time to reassess the needs and priorities of business and leisure travellers in a changed world.” Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport, commented on the survey results: “Cork Airport welcomed a record 340,705 passengers in August, and was the fastest growing of the three state airports in 2024 so far. Direct connectivity into Cork and the south of Ireland is a clear priority for businesses and leisure travellers alike, as is the ease of use and excellent customer service offered by Cork Airport in comparison to other locations. “Cork Airport is continuously seeking to enhance its offering. A four-times weekly service to Glasgow has been added to the winter schedule since the survey closed. The survey results published provide valuable insights as we set a course for the airport’s future strategy and development,” he added.