Organisers defend Gathering tourism targets

The organisers of next year’s major tourism initiative, The Gathering have rejected suggestions that their target of attracting 325,000 extra overseas tourists to Ireland in 2013 is over-ambitious.

The Government has also insisted it has set a realistic target for the year-long series of events and festivals to generate €200m in additional tourist revenue.

However, a similar celebration staged by the Scottish tourism authorities in 2009 achieved far more modest results.