By Alan Healy
Hotel occupancy rates over the past year are expected to surpass 2016’s record-breaking figure, it has emerged.
According to figures from Visit Derry, hotels in city recorded a record occupancy rate of 88.9 per cent in 2016 with hotel room sales at 161,208.
It’s now emerged that as of August this year, hotel occupancy rates stood at 87.68 per cent, with the overall room sales already expected to surpass 170,000.
The figures were revealed at meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Business and Culture committee, held in Strabane on Tuesday, where councillors heard from and Odhran Dunne, General Manager of Visit Derry, and Don Wilmont, chairman.
Earlier this month, council agreed to increase its annual contribution, known as a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to Visit Derry from £410,000 to £693,175, an increase of £283, 175.
The move came after a review found that Visit Derry was ‘under-resourced, and more funding was needed to enable it to become a ‘fully-fledged Destination Management Organisation (DMO)’.
At Tuesday’s meeting, concern was raised by a number of Strabane-based councillors about the group’s lack of focus on the area, which prompted Stephen Gillespie, Strategic Director with council, to give reassurances that focus will be given in the future to incorporate the likes of the Sperrins into an overarching Tourism Strategy currently under development.
Cruises
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Dunne outlined that events such as the longer Halloween festival contributed to this year’s increase, but added that Derry was a ‘small fish in a big pond’ as it had to compete with the likes of the Titanic Quarter in Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway.
He continued with regards to attracting cruise ships, ‘council’s ambition was limited’ due to the fact that the city only has a second-tier port and was limited as to what ships it could host.
However, he did that Derry was set to have a record year in cruise ship tourism in 2019, as 13 ships containing 8,900 passengers and crew were set to arrive in the city, which would result in a spend of £620,000.
The meeting was told three new hotels were planned for the city, a 119-bedroom Holiday Inn Express at the former Strand Bar site, a 151-bedroom hotel in Ebrington and a 24 bedroom boutique in Foyle Street.
Mr Dunne continued that while the ‘challenge for us is who is going to fill these bedrooms’, new tourist attractions such as The Quiet Man Whiskey Distillery and the new Maritime Musuem, both if which are planned for Ebrington Square, will boost visitor numbers.
Brexit
He did add however, that ‘Brexit will be a challenge for us’.
Meanwhile, Mr Wilmont added that Derry’s tourism trade currently supports 4,685 jobs, which would increase by over 1,000 by 2025.
Sinn Fein’s Mickey Cooper welcomed the report, adding that Derry should now tap into markets such as the Far East, while the SDLP’s Martin Reilly said that focus should also be given to promoting Derry’s public art, such as Mute Meadow to potential tourists.
“Maybe that’s something we should be developing,” he added.
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