Steve Frazer MD of City of Derry Airport
CoDA Managing Director says talks are already underway with Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland to capitalise on the event making it’s return to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough.
He told Cool FM: “It’s another fantastic opportunity. We’ve been lucky enough to have it only a couple of years ago. Sadly, Covid probably stifled the momentum that could have been gained for that for the North West region.
“Now, we have another opportunity to make Derry Airport the gateway, it is the gateway, to the North West.
“I think we are already a go-to hub for many of the golfers in the region. The level of corporate travel we see here has doubled in the last couple of years.
“You do get the American and Irish market coming in. They want to play on the North Coast.
“High network Individuals do like to charter aircraft and come in for a weekend or a week’s golfing. We see a lot of that because we are blessed across Donegal and the Causeway Coast and some fantastic courses across our region.”
In 20-19 Royal Portrush Golf Club hosted the 148th Open Championship when Co. Offaly’s Shane Lowry picked up the coveted Claret Jug with a superb six-shot win over England’s Tommy Fleetwood.
237,750 spectators flocked to the Causeway Coast back then, setting a new attendance record for a championship held outside St Andrews.
The Open in 20-19 generated more than £100 million for Northern Ireland’s economy. Meanwhile, more than 5,400 hours of television coverage were broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers globally.
Mr Frazer has said plans are already underway to try and optimise the airport so that it can welcome more chartered flights and to prepared for an expected increase in passenger numbers.
A private jet at City of Derry Airport ahead of The Open in 2019
“All the high-profile golfers, without using any names, were all parked here which is fantastic to see and we expect the same and more next time.
“We are already gearing up in different areas of the airport where we can provide parking for those golfers while they’re in the tournament and cope with the extra influx of people wanting the convivence of arriving at the nearest airport for the Open Championship.”
