Galway Races deliver €60m boost to local tourism sector

The recession-proof Galway Races continues to deliver a massive boost to the local economy, and particularly tourism and hospitality related businesses, which have reported a ‘steady’ season to date.

Organisers are predicting that the most successful annual racing meet in the country, which went to post on Monday, will once again trigger a €60 million plus boon to the city and its environs, as up to 150,000 punters are expected on the annual trek to Ballybrit.

Paul Gill, Galway Chairman of Irish Hotels Federation, said hotels, particularly in the city but as far away as Clifden, Ballinasloe, Claregalway and elsewhere in the county, are experiencing a much-needed bonanza this week.

“From Wednesday onwards most, if not all, of the city hotels are almost booked out, and are nearly at full capacity. Hotels in the county are benefitting too – obviously the city hotels fill up first and then the hotels in the outlying areas fill. So far, it’s looking very good in terms of bed capacity for the latter half of the week, which is the busier period as well as the Bank Holiday weekend,” said Mr Gill, owner of Claregalway Hotel.

Mr Gill said the Summer so far for hoteliers had been “steady for the most part but it has been patchy at times”.

“For example, during the heat-wave Connemara experienced a huge increase and then for the Arts Festival and when the weather turned again it was the city hotels that have experienced a boost.

“Nearly every hotel is busy this week for the races. Certainly, the amount of disposable income people have is down, that’s a given, but it’s about driving volume and increasing the numbers of visitors to Galway in order to maintain and increase the overall spend,” he said.

See full story and more on the Galway Races in news and sport in this week’s Connacht Tribune.