Experts warn Ireland sport tourism falling short at international level

Ireland is underachieving in sport tourism despite having the capacity to be a major global player, the Shannon Group European Sport Tourism Summit in Limerick has been told.

According to one of the world’s leading experts on sport market intelligence Mike Laflin of Sportcal, Ireland ranks just 60th in the world, behind Barbados and Andorra, in terms of attracting major global sport events over the past six years. Laflin recommends the establishment of an agency to devise a ten-year strategy and head-up bidding for major global events. Sport tourism is estimated at €450bn globally and growing at 14% per annum, compared to wider tourism growth of 5%.

Laflin was one of a host of leading international experts who addressed day-one of the Summit, which is one of the leading global think-tanks on the industry annually. He was joined on the podium by the likes of Commonwealth Games CEO David Grevemberg, Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills, Director of Major Events and International Relations at UK Sport Simon Morton and Paul Smith, Head of City Delivery for England 2015 Rugby World Cup.