An Economic Assessment of the Volvo Ocean race
stopover to Galway
Introduction/Background
 Economic impact assessment of the Volvo Ocean Race
 Smart Tourism on behalf of Galway
 Motivation for the Study
• TV audience globally of
1.327 billion
 • Radio listenership
globally of 1.1 billion
 • Discover Ireland: 11,200
media items
 • Galway: 13,427 media
items

• 61 newsfeeds from
Galway with downloads
confirmed by 53 channels
in 24 countries
 • Galway online coverage
1789 references in 46
countries
 • Galway radio coverage
168 reports from 46
stations in 17 countries

• €55.8m economic impact
on Galway and Ireland
 • €36.5m of spending by
race spectators from outside
the local region
 • 650,000 spectators at Race
Village and Salthill
 • Over 200,000 bed nights
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• 99% of international
visitors would
recommend Galway as a
holiday destination
• 46,000 domestic
visitors
• 40,500 international
visitors
• 269 media attended
Galway
5 Objectives
1. To identify the Economic impacts that the stopover in
Galway had on the host community
2. To Identify the ‘behind the scene success factors’ for the
Galway Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race
3. To Determine the barriers that occur when hosting such a
large sporting event
4. To Analysis the negative economic impacts on the
surrounding areas
5. To identify the common ingredients (if any)that have been
responsible for the success of the event.
Respondents of the Study
13 Different individuals
Conduct of the Interviews
Semi structured interviews
Duration of between 1/2 hours
Influence was kept to a minimum to ensure validity
Questions that came to mind during interview’s
1.To identify the Economic impacts that the stopover in
Galway had on the host community
 The long term economic impacts
worth €55M to the west of Ireland, €45M in direct expenditure and €10M in indirect expenditure in
Galway and the west. The event attracted a total of 650,000 spectators .
 The Legacy
 Employment
 The Importance to Tourism
2.To Identify the behind the scene success factors for the
Galway Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race
The Change in strategy
The people of Galway
Accessibility
Greeting the race received
3.To Determine the barriers that occur when hosting such
a large sporting event.
 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
 Predicting the crowd and policing
 Removal of the Oil Tanks
 The costs involved
 Lack of corporate attention
 Obtaining the License
 Promoting the destination not the Race
4.To Analysis the negative economic impacts on the
surrounding areas
 Severe impacts on other parts of the region
 Policing of the in-shore Racing
 Small gas explosion
 Traffic restrictions to local businesses and residents.
5.To identify the common ingredients (if any)that have
been responsible for the success of the event.
 The race was embraced by the whole town.
 The Planning & Development of the entire port area.
 The reception, the welcome & the weather!
 The Volunteers
 The Media & the location
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Conclusion
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Recommendations
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The Stopover in Galway was an amazing success.
The researcher had a hard time trying to find any major
negative impacts connected to the race.
The people of Galway were one of the largest success factors
of the Race.
The Return of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2012 will be an even
bigger and better event.
The Volvo Ocean race committee should implement a
‘expect the unexpected ‘plan.
Theme could be an idea for 2012
Galway should try an adopt the ‘Share the Wealth approach’
from the beginning.
The Race village should be re-developed.
The return of the Volvo ocean race to Galway for the Final
leg of the round the world race in 2012
 The race will return for the final leg of the Race in 2012.
 Failte Ireland have already allocated €4 M.
 Will give Ireland a chance to show cases it’s two biggest assets it’s
beautiful coast line and friendly people.
 The IHF have predicted that the stopover will attract up to 40,000
overseas visitors with a injection of up to €80 M in tourism income.