Tall Ships race to bring £5m tourism boost to Belfast

Sunshine and ships are expected to deliver a boost worth £5 million (€7 million) to the local Belfast economy over the next four days as the Tall Ships summer race gets underway on Thursday.

The North's Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said the last time the city hosted the Tall Ships races in 2009 an estimated 800,000 people came to Belfast to enjoy the spectacle.

It is officially the largest event to be staged in the city to date and will feature more than 50 vessels including 17 Class A ships.

All of the ships will be berthed in and around Belfast Harbour and the Titanic Quarter, where a major maritime festival is also underway this week to coincide with the Tall Ships race.

Mr Bell believes that the race and the festival will help showcase what the city has to offer both visitors and Northern Ireland residents.

“For tourism in the short term, it is envisaged Tall Ships Races 2015 will generate 40,000 bed nights for the local area, with a direct economic impact of almost £5million.

“Just as importantly however, in the long term, hosting the race offers another excellent opportunity to promote Belfast and Northern Ireland on a global scale. An event of this calibre showcases our capacity for hosting major events and promotes Belfast as a key tourist destination, encouraging visitors from inside and outside Northern Ireland to boost the local economy,” the Minister added.