The countdown has begun in earnest for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in May, and the organisers are calling on the city to “pull together” to showcase Galway for the long-term benefit of the local economy.
John Killeen, chairman of Let's Do It Galway, the organisation behind the stopover, says preparations are well under way for this prestigious event, and it is now up to Galway to maximise this opportunity.
Killeen, always passionate about the stopover’s long-term benefits to Galway, says in the current climate, it is important to use the event to stimulate the local economy.
“In the current economic downturn, Galway is uniquely placed by hosting the largest event in Ireland in 2009,” he told the Galway City Council this week.
“ Galway and the west will be showcased to a potential global audience of 1.8 billion people. It is up to all of us to maximise this opportunity internationally and also domestically,” he said.
“Recent research shows that many Irish people will be holidaying at home during 2009, and through the marketing of the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, Galway should target this market. Where else can you attend a free grand prix sporting event and festival offering free evening concerts from leading acts like Sharon Shannon, Kila, and The Stunning?”
The organisers are planning to accommodate up to 350,000 visitors at the race village during the two week stopover from May 23 to June 6, and expect up to 150,000 people during the in-port racing weekend which coincides with the June Bank Holiday weekend.
Failte Ireland West has reported an increase in bookings for accommodation during the event.
“In recent weeks we have noticed an increase in enquiries to the Discover Ireland Centre for accommodation during the event. We are encouraging all accommodation providers to sign up to the Accommodation Charter that guarantees visitors quality service and accommodation at good value. To date more than 30 hotels and guest houses have committed to the charter,” says Fiona Monaghan, general manager of Failte Ireland West.
“ It is crucial that the tourism industry, the local business community, and the people of Galway rally together to ensure the success of the Galway stopover. In addition to running an extensive domestic media campaign promoting the festival, Failte Ireland will also host a prestigious group of international journalists representing a variety of travel, lifestyle, and epicurean publications.”
Despite a slow take-up of corporate hospitality, and the need for more sponsors, John Killeen says a number of local and national organisations are backing the project, led by Failte Ireland. These include the Galway City Council, Galway Harbour Company, Edward Holdings, Smart Telecom, CPL, HB Ice Cream, Irish Independent, Nortel, and Volvo Cars Ireland.
Killeen also allayed fears that the docks would not be ready in time, saying the removal of the tank farm was in progress and was scheduled for March-April. It is understood a team is standing by ready to dismantle the tanks once the new facility is commissioned and the old tanks emptied. The race village, essentially a tented site, will commence in early May as scheduled.
Let's Do It Galway, which now boasts a staff of 12, will be based in the McDonagh Building on Merchants Road. This will also host the media centre during the event, accommodating an expected 100 international media during the stopover.
In addition the organisation requires 750 volunteers who will be the “face” of the event for visitors at the Race Village. To date some 350 people have signed up.
According to Let’s Do It Galway, interest in the event has been steadily growing, particularly after the Green Dragon’s exploits in the last leg in which they overcame a series of hurdles to take fourth place overall in the round the world race. The Galway website www.galwayvolvooceanrace.com has attracted 30,000 visitors to this site, with more than 5,000 people registering for updates. Some 6,000 children are taking part in the HB Ocean Adventure Schools programme, while almost 2,000 children are booked for school tours during the event. In addition 150 applications for berths have been received by the Galway Harbour Company.
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 is the 10th running of this ocean marathon, which started from Alicante in Spain, and spans some 37,000 nautical miles, stopping at 11 ports and taking nine months to complete. It is the first time the race has made a stopover in Ireland.
