OVER €5.5million will be realised for Limerick city from just four major events that Shannon Development has attracted in to celebrate Limerick’s designation as the European City of Sport 2011.
Shannon Development’s Tourism and Marketing Manager Pat Daly told the Limerick Post the events involved are the Single Speed World Championship, the European Duathlon Championships, the European Power Lifting Championships and the Great Outdoor Swim in Lough Derg, which will be held midsummer.
“We have been out selling the city of sport title and will be building on it over the next couple of years – there is a great deal of revenue to be gleaned from Limerick’s title of European City of Sport 2011.”
Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan, chair of the Shannon branch of the Irish Hotel Federation isrecommending that dormant hotels in Limerick be used for other purposes.
“There is an over supply of 1,000 hotel rooms in Limerick and Clare, hoteliers are facing another year of reduced occupancy and financial pressure.”
Speaking at a tourism briefing he said:.
“This needs to be tackled and I don’t believe the government is going to do so.
“We hoped hotels would be transferred into nursing homes and for other uses like apartments – I could think of uses for the hotels in Limerick city. Part of the campus of UL could be transferred to them to create a new vibrancy there and in terms of regeneration they could be transferred into apartment blocks.
“If the government and local authorities think outside the box they can come up with solutions”.
He also confirmed that many hotels in the region are not profit making.
“There are a number of hotel properties in Limerick city that are not viable. and most of the hotels in the country are indebted to a huge extent – they’re practically insolvent and that’s the size of it. A fact proven day by day with the receiverships and administrations that are going on”.
Calling for the amalgamation of Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, he said there is a huge duplication in services.
“Hoteliers and B&B operators have concerns that services are being duplicated and money wasted between Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland”.
Both bodies were present at the Radisson Hotel event to highlight the marketing plan for the industry for the coming year.
Failte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn told the Limerick Post that a turning point for tourism had been reached.
“We’ve had a very difficult two or three years but indications are that markets are turning.
“Target markets are going through a bad patch but are coming out the other end”.
It was confirmed that 80% of business comes from Britain, USA, Germany and France and that marketing efforts will concentrate on these locations.
“Between ourselves and Tourism Ireland we will spend €50 million marketing Irish tourism at home and abroad and we will invest €4 million in advertising and another €4 million in festivals around the country”.
He expressed a belief that airlines will bring routes to Shannon Airport once the target markets grow.
Emily Hurley, Face of Special Olympics, John Galvin Limerick footballer, and rugby legend Peter Clohessy launch Limerick European City of Sport 2011.
Brian Gavin Press 22
