HOTELIERS WELCOME VOLVO OCEAN RACE AS MAJOR TOURISM TRIUMPH

Opportunity to Profile Ireland as a Vibrant Destination, says IHF

10 March 2010

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) today welcomed the selection of Galway city for the finish of the 2012 Volvo Round the World Ocean Race as a major tourism triumph for Ireland. Paul Gallagher, President, IHF states that the event will provide a phenomenal platform to showcase Ireland internationally and profile the country as a vibrant and attractive destination to hundreds of millions of potential visitors across the globe. He states that the associated broadcast and media coverage throughout the race - with Ireland as the final destination - will provide a significant boost to Irish tourism and businesses throughout the hospitality sector.

Mr Gallagher states, “We look forward to extending a warm welcome to spectators during the 2012 Ocean Race finale. The event offers enormous tourism potential for the country as we saw during the Galway stop-over for the 2009 race. By attracting up to 40,000 overseas visitors and injecting up to €80m in tourism income, it promises a much-needed boost for businesses across Galway. Hoteliers look forward to working with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to ensure we leverage all aspects of the finale to maximise the tourism benefits to the local and national economy.”

“The support demonstrated by the Government and national tourism bodies was instrumental in securing the 2012 event. We were competing with major European destinations such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, so it is a testament to the compelling proposition put forward that Galway was chosen to host the 2010 finale,” adds Mr Gallagher.

According to Paul Gill, Chairman, Galway branch of the IHF, the 2009 stop-over provided a major boost to the local economy and a unique opportunity to showcase the exceptional range of attractions the West of Ireland has to offer. Mr Gill says, “Hotels and guesthouses throughout the West of Ireland are delighted that Galway is hosting a sporting event of such magnitude with the potential to reach so many people worldwide. We look forward to welcoming our ocean racing friends back to Galway for what will be a truly memorable experience.”

“On behalf of hoteliers in Galway, I’d like to thank Minister Éamon Ó Cuív and John Killeen, Chairman of Let’s Do It Galway, for their tireless energy and commitment in helping to secure the 2012 finale for Galway.”

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