A Derry City and Strabane District Council delegation trip to America, led by elected Mayor, Alderman Hilary McClintock, has been hailed as a huge success and a great opportunity to put the city and district on the international map.
The delegation was organised to allow the Mayor, Council officials and local businesses to engage with prominent members of the Irish Diaspora community and meet with the crews of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race ahead of their arrival in the city next month.
During the five-day trip the Mayor attended a series of cultural and business related events accompanied by council officials and representatives of Invest NI, to promote the region and further strengthen links between the two regions.
Speaking following the visit, the Mayor said she was overwhelmed by the warm welcome the delegation received and the awareness of the good work that is being done here in the North West region in terms of culture and tourism and promoting our new story.
She said she was delighted to work alongside Invest NI, Tourism Ireland and the NI Bureau and the excellent work they did to support the visit and organise a series of events including a high profile lunch event that was attended by 140 businesses and civic contacts that were addressed by the Mayor and the Council Chief Executive.
A key part of the visit was meeting with the Clipper Race teams as they departed from New York on the eighth leg of the race ahead of their arrival in Derry~Londonderry next month which will coincide with the Foyle Maritime Festival.
During the visit the delegation met with with local business and political figures and attended a series of meetings geared towards generating investment and trade links.
Ald McClintock said: “The meetings we attended were hugely beneficial in terms of promoting the region as a great place to visit and invest in. It provided us with a unique opportunity to showcase our well educated and skilled workforce, our tourism and heritage attributes and look at potential new opportunities for investment and trade between our city and district and the United States.
“I was delighted that two local companies – Piecemakers and Troy Armour - who travelled as part of our delegation, got the chance to establish new trading opportunities and develop relationships with potential investors in the US,” she said.
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