Flagship events brought in £3m for the economy

Flagship events brought in £3m for the economy

23 March 2016

TWO of the district’s flagship tourist events generated £3.25m for the local economy last year.

Figures for the income the Festival of Flight in Newcastle and the St Patrick’s Festival celebrations in Downpatrick generated have been made public by Newry, Mourne and Down Council which is keen to attract even more visitors to the area to boost the local economy.

The council is keen to increase the number of international visitors in particular and aims to work alongside Tourism NI and other partners in a bid to attract more major events to the district.

Last year, live coverage of the Irish Open golf tournament held at Newcastle’s Royal County Down was beamed into millions of home across the globe, particularly the United States and Canada in courtesy of The Golf Channel.

Council officials say they are acutely aware that high profile events such as the Irish Open generate free worldwide publicity and help put the district on the map. It’s something they are keen to build upon.

The local authority’s Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Directorate is keen to develop and deliver more signature events that will create a positive return for the district in terms of bed nights and spend. They are also keen to further develop the St Patrick’s Festival celebrations into an international event.

Funding of almost £820,000 has been included in next year’s budget to support a range of major and smaller festivals across the district, and council officials believe smaller community events are about participation, involvement and the creation of a sense of identity and contributing to social wellbeing.

With this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival celebrations now over, attention turns to a number of major events across the district over the coming months.

The Circuit of Ireland rally will be in the district this Easter weekend, while in July the World Skiffies championships are being held on Strangford Lough, with 46 of the 53 teams which have registered for the event to date based outside Northern Ireland.  Council officials estimate the event has the potential to generate around 5,000 bed nights.

The Festival of Flight makes its eagerly-awaited return to Newcastle this August, while in September the Harvest and Country Living Festival is back in Ballynahinch. The Hans Sloane chocolate festival in Killyleagh also takes place this month and a clown festival pencilled in for September.

In October, the Hallowtides festival will again be held in Newcastle, with other Halloween celebrations pencilled in for Ballynahinch and Downpatrick, ahead of a number of Christmas events in December.

With 2016 the designated Year of Food, a series of events are taking place across the district while money has been allocated to enhance facilities at Tollymore and Castlewellan forest parks.