When the cost of living crisis clashes with international yacht racing in Derry

It’s not often the cost-of-living crisis clashes with the super-expensive sport of yacht racing – but that’s what’s happened to plans for a Maritime Festival next year in Londonderry.

The city was hoping to continue as a host port for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

It had already welcomed the Clipper race to the River Foyle on five occasions, together with cities like New York, Sydney, and Rio.

Derry City and Strabane District Council had been in advanced talks for a sixth event in 2024.

Sadly, agreement couldn’t be reached – partly down to the Council facing a tight squeeze on events budgets.

Instead, the Clipper yachts will sail into Oban in the west of Scotland.

It’s a blow to the hospitality industry in Derry where the Maritime Festival has been a huge tourism draw, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, filling hotels and B&Bs, and keeping the tills ringing in bars and restaurants.

It's prompting tourism bodies in the north west to re-think one of their key festival events.

Odhran Dunne, chief executive of Visit Derry, said: "It'll take a new direction, and ultimately the main selling-point of Clipper was the people of Derry, so that's what's really important to us. You know, you come in for a festival or event or as a leisure holiday-maker, it's the people that make it here."

Selina Horshi, president of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, is managing director of the White Horse Hotel.

She knows how important festivals can be for the hospitality industry and said: "It's been wonderful over the past few years to have the name of our city associated with cities like Sydney and Cape Town. But we have to take the positives out of it and look forward.

"The Council are still going to run a Maritime Festival and we look forward to something we hope will be a great success."

A return for the Clipper may be unlikely, but it’s not being ruled out.

New events, however, are being planned for the River Foyle, a ‘reimagining’ of the Maritime Festival that will help Derry to hoist its tourism sales.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.