Festivities to generate €60m for Irish traders
Festivities are to be broadcast to at least 12 countries around the globe as scores of journalists fly in at the invitation of Fáilte Ireland.
German television channel ZDF, Getaway TV from Australia, AM TV show from Canada and WABC TV from the United States are among those covering the events.
The festivities will act as a launch pad for the country’s 2007 tourism season expected to attract 7m people to 600 festivals and events over the coming months.
Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn believes this year’s calendar of events will generate over €200m for businesses throughout the country.
“On average, one-third of festival audiences book into local accommodation staying for at least one night,” he said.
“The indirect economic impact of visitors’ spend at many of these festivals on other sectors of the economy can be quite significant with the National St Patrick’s Festival generating nearly €60m and the Galway Arts Festival generating a spend of over €20m in Galway every July.”
Another showcase event is the staging of the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time in Ireland later this year in November.
It is anticipated the rally will attract more than 200,000 people into the north-west and will be broadcast to over 800m homes around the world.
Among the more unusual events is a singles weekend targeting ‘30-somethings’ on Clare Island, Co Mayo, in June.
This will include ballroom dancing, computer dating, blind dating and romantic walks on the island.
Other events include the Sneem Family festival which will take place in Kerry in July, while the International Garden Festival will take place in Emo, Co Laois, for 14 weeks during the summer and will feature a number of designer gardens which will be open to the public. Another event is the Galway International Oyster Festival, which has been running for over 50 years.
Culture vultures can set their eyes on a feast of arts and drama festivals culminating in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Dublin Theatre Festival in September.
The 400th anniversary this year of the Flight of the Earls will see a range of commemorative events throughout the north-west for one of the most defining episodes of Irish history.
