Galway will enjoy ripple effect from big visits despite missing out on international spotlight

Date Published: {J}

By Dara Bradley

Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama may be staying clear of the west of Ireland during their State visits but tourism chiefs are confident Galway City and County will profit hugely from the expected boost the ‘Queen and Obama’ tourism effect will bring.

The United States and the United Kingdom are by far Ireland’s largest tourism markets and a substantial boost in bookings is expected to arise from the visits – and a rising tide of tourism numbers will lift all counties, including Galway, not just those that are the focus of the State visits, according to Fáilte Ireland West.

The spotlight of the world is shining on Ireland this week and next with more than 1,200 journalists accredited to cover the historic visit to the Republic of the Queen, the first in 100 years of a reigning British Monarch; and the ‘flying visit’ of President Obama.

More than 300 reporters from British news organisations, including in print, radio, TV and online media, are in Ireland this week to cover the Queen’s visit; as well as CNN and Russian, Chinese and European media outlets, many of whom, particularly the American networks and newspapers, will remain on to cover President Obama’s trip.

Despite an intensive lobbying campaign to entice Mr Obama to follow in the footsteps of President John F. Kennedy who visited Galway City and addressed Eyre Square, neither the US President or Queen Elizabeth will come to Galway.

And while places like Dublin, Cork, Tipperary, Kildare and Offaly will receive maximum exposure, Fáilte Ireland West says Galway’s tourism industries will be provided with a “huge boost” as a result of the exposure. “There will be a big knock-on effect for everyone, including Galway,” said Fiona Monaghan of Fáilte Ireland West.

“Money couldn’t buy the exposure Ireland will get from the visits and Fáilte Ireland couldn’t afford to pay for the media exposure we are going to get in our top two tourist markets. These are huge opportunities, and it’s hard to quantify the return in visitor numbers that will result – it will be very big,” she said.

Galway is certainly not losing out, she said, because many of the hundreds of reporters who are here for the visits will have extended trips, courtesy of Fáilte Ireland and they will be visiting Galway City and Connemara in particular. This will lead to exposure in media outlets throughout the world in travel articles and reviews.

All media outlets are briefed on the assets of Galway and the west during their stay and the cultural and natural beauty of the county has been emphasised. CNN, for example, is broadcasting Mr Obama’s visit live and this will be interspersed with three-minute TV clips promoting Ireland and Galway City and Connemara are prominent in these.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.