Cork nets €7m from conferences
Figures released by the Cork Convention Bureau (CCB) yesterday showed that a total of 8,155 people attended more than 30 large CCB-confirmed conferences in the city last year.
The total value of an international conference delegate over the period of their stay in Ireland is calculated at €1,300-€1,500.
It is based on their out-of-pocket expenditure — excluding their travel fares to and from Ireland — combined with the average logistical cost, like room hire and AV fees, of hosting the event.
And with The Gathering taking place this year, the CCB has already confirmed €3.8m worth of international conferences, with more expected.
The total value of the conferences the CCB has worked on since its foundation in 2007 now stands at €31.2m — a 200% increase on business year-on-year since 2007.
“The results are testament to the service being provided by the Cork Convention Bureau, and the impact on the economy that the meetings industry can yield,” CCB chairman Seamus Heaney said.
“Many sectors in the region benefit from the increased number of visitors that are choosing to come to Cork for an event or conference, including the hospitality, leisure, tourism and retail sector here.”
The CCB is a public-private partnership supported by Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Cork Chamber, Cork Airport, the Irish Hotel Federation and Fáilte Ireland.
It was set up to increase the number of business tourism opportunities and drive the conference and meetings industry.
A recent national survey by the Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers, which showed that delegate numbers at events in Ireland are increasing.
“We expect continued growth in the year ahead,” Mr Heaney said.
The University Association for Contemporary European Studies conference which will take place in Cork in Sept 2014 is expected to attract up to 350 European delegates.
The chairman of The Gathering, Tim O’Connor, will be in Cork next week to outline the potential of the event to the conference sector.
*www.corkconventionbureau.com
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