Alderman Gary Middleton, Deputy Mayor of Derry, getting in the mood for the LegenDerry Maritime Festival.
The city’s official tourism organisation, Visit Derry, is expecting a big surge in visitors and accommodation bookings for the upcoming LegenDerry Maritime Festival.
Visit Derry said there has been keen demand for accommodation during the festival which is taking place in the city from 21-29 June.
Thousands of people are expected to visit the city for what is expected to be one of Ireland’s biggest international maritime festivals this year.
The highlight of the festival will be the arrival of the 12 Clipper Round The World Race yachts on the “Homecoming” leg of their transatlantic odyssey.
A packed programme of maritime-themed events has been organised as well as concerts, continental market, arts and crafts and water-based activities.
The biggest influx of visitors for the festival is expected to be from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland enjoying short breaks and day trips.
However, with a lot of British-based crew and family and international branded yachts, visitors from across the world are expected to travel to Derry to enjoy the event.
The success of the 2012 Clipper Race Homecoming has firmly established the festival on the wider events calendar, according to Odhran Dunne, Visit Derry general manager.
He said: “There are peak periods of demand around weekends. However, it will be a week-long visitor experience and with bookings trending towards shorter lead-in times it will be a great opportunity for the tourism economy to benefit across the full week of the festival.”
“It is a great hook for the destination to use the international Maritime Festival to highlight all that is best about the city – its people, heritage and culture.
“The attractiveness of our natural physical location will ensure the festival appeals to all ages and will have an atmosphere to match.
“The launch of the programme including the Beach Boys concert, the markets, Red Arrows, the boats themselves and access to the water is a fantastic opportunity for the city to raise its profile.
“This is a great boost to the local tourism economy and the festival gives us a great platform to showcase the city as a must-see destination in international tourism markets”.
Sinead McLaughlin, chief executive of the city’s Chamber of Commerce, said visitors would experience a “warm welcome” which would ensure they would return “time and time again”
Jim Roddy, City Centre Manager, said local businesses were hoping to maximise the benefits from the influx of visitors to the city.
He said: “We are expecting tens of thousands of people to throng the streets and such a dramatic increase in footfall will give much greater potential for trading opportunities.
“We are in it together to make this city work. Derry City Council are reaching out to businesses to make this festival work for them.”
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