Huge potential of ‘The Gathering’ For Wicklow Tourism - Harris
Wicklow Fine Gael TD Simon Harris is highlighting the potential of ‘The Gathering’ to bring new visitors to county Wicklow. This weekend sees the ‘Emerald Isle’ football game taking place in Dublin with two US-based American football teams taking to the field. This event is expected to draw a crowd of up to 35,000 US college football fans, worth an estimated €100 million for the economy.
‘Wicklow is known as the Garden of Ireland and with good reason. The great tourist attractions throughout the county can only benefit from this initiative,’ stated Deputy Harris.
‘There is a real opportunity for Wicklow and the work being done across the County by many groups to host events and to get involved is extremely encouraging. The Gathering will hopefully provide a much needed boost to Wicklow tourism and will help support local businesses.’
‘I would encourage any person or group with an idea or an interest to get in touch with Wicklow Tourism to see how it can help them. I will be continuing to work closely alongside Minister Leo Varadkar and the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport to ensure that county Wicklow plays a central role in The Gathering and is marketed to as wide an audience of international visitors as possible’, continued Deputy Harris
‘The goal of the Gathering is to attract an additional 325,000 tourist to Ireland in 2013. My goal for county Wicklow is to ensure that as many of these 325,000 tourists as possible spend some time in the Garden County during their stay,’ concluded Deputy Harris.
"What is the Gathering?"
Throughout 2013, Ireland will open its arms to hundreds of thousands of friends and family from all over the world, calling them home to gatherings in villages, towns and cities.
Communities throughout Ireland will showcase and share the very best of Irish culture, tradition, business, sport, fighting spirit and the uniquely Irish sense of fun.
Over 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. The Gathering Ireland 2013 provides the perfect excuse to reach out to those who have moved away, their relatives, friends and descendants, and invite them home.
The Gathering is the people’s party. It will kick off in spectacular style at the New Year’s Eve Festival in Dublin and will be celebrated through gatherings of the people and Ireland’s major festivals during 2013. After that it is over to you. It is in your hands. Be part of it.
