The substantial commitment of the Irish Government to attract major international sporting events has been underlined most recently by the official launch of the Sports Campus Ireland project. Designed to promote sporting excellence in Ireland, Sports Campus Ireland will be home to an Olympic-size pool (2003) and an 80,000 seater National Stadium expected to be operational by 2005. This world class facility will be capable of staging the most prestigious of sporting occasions.
With generous support from the Government, Ireland attracted the first stage of the Tour de France and the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race in 1998. And coming up in the years ahead, Ireland will host the Special Olympics in 2003 and the Ryder Cup in 2005.
The promotion of Ireland as a premier sports tourism destination has been an important element of tourism marketing policy in recent years. Bord Fáilte – Irish Tourist Board has been associate sponsor of major sporting events, which have attracted world-wide media coverage.
In 1999, the Government launched the International Sports Tourism Initiative. A fund of £2.5m for 2000, and increased to £5m annually, over to 2005, was made available to support efforts to attract major sporting events, with tourism potential, to Ireland.
The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr James McDaid says:
‘My Department and Bord Fáilte – Irish Tourist Board, working closely together, have been quick to realise the huge potential of international sporting events for Irish tourism.
Seeking to win these events for Ireland is a serious, carefully considered business strategy. It is a strategy that has the potential to earn millions of pounds for Irish tourism, and therefore, for our national economy.’
The Chairperson of the International Sports Tourism Partnership Advisory Group, John Dully says:
‘These events provide world-wide publicity opportunities which we could not buy even if we had a marketing budget greatly in excess of our current expenditure.
Support for these events is in line with our efforts to expand our range of activity holidays for visitors, to extend the season and to spread the benefits of tourism to all parts of the country.
Sport has always played a central role in Irish life. It features in our history and culture, in songs and stories from the past. Names like Ronnie Delany, Mary Peters, Sonia O’Sullivan, Roy Keane, Christy O’Connor Senior and Junior, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Barry McGuigan, Michael Carruth, Sean Kelly, Stephan Roche, Roy Keane, Niall Quinn, Robbie Keane and countless others have lifted the hearts and spirits of their fellow Irish people. Unsung heroes – like the Irish team that conquered North Carolina in the 2000 Special Olympics – have demonstrated that there is no barrier to human potential.’
The work of targeting major sporting events and administering the fund is being undertaken by Bord Fáilte – Irish Tourist Board under the guidance of the International Sports Tourism Partnership Advisory Group.
Supported events which have already been held include: The 2000 European Fireball Sailing Championships, North West of Ireland Golf Classic, GAA World Cup 2000, PWA Irish Wave Grand Prix, and the World Junior Taekwondo Championships.
Funding approval has been announced for 15 forthcoming events including: World Cross Country Championships, North-South International Cycle Race 2001, EFSA Boat Championships, European Figure Skating Open, and American Express World Golf Championships.
New international sporting events taking place in Ireland up to 2005 are eligible for consideration. These events can be once-off events, but are preferably annual/regular events on a circuit. This would enable Ireland to become a permanent fixture on the tour for that sport.
Bord Fáilte – Irish Tourist Board is targeting international sports governing bodies and event management companies to consider Ireland for forthcoming international sporting events.
For further information and details of the criteria for selecting an event for funding please contact:
Ciara Gallagher
Sports Tourism Officer
Bord Fáilte – Irish Tourist Board
Tel: 01-602 4126
Fax: 01-602 4298
cgallagher@irishtouristboard.ie