Belfast has landed a major sports tourism project off the back of this year’s hosting of the Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia.
The Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia will take place in the City and surrounding areas for the next three years and attract amateur cyclists from across Ireland and around the world to cycle the stages of the Giro that were held last May
The first Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Northern Ireland will be held on June 21st 2015, with details of the two full routes and registration to be announced early in the New Year.
Gran Fondo events take place throughout Europe and the rest of the world and this mass participation format is one of the fastest growing sectors in cycle tourism.
Two routes have been scoped and provisionally recommended by the organisers, preceded by cycling activities on the day before the main event across Northern Ireland. Both routes, one 177 kilometres and the other 59 kilometres, commence and finish at Titanic Belfast – the iconic location where the 2014 Giro d’Italia started.
“The 2014 Giro d’Italia captured the imagination of the people of Northern Ireland and was hailed as a resounding success by the organisers who were bowled over by the warmth of our welcome and enthusiasm,” said Northern Ireland Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster.
“People are now coming to ride the Giro stages and other routes across Northern Ireland and we want to capitalise on that interest.”
“The Gran Fondo will establish a tangible legacy event to the Giro and increase awareness of Northern Ireland as a premium cycling and tourism destination. There is also the immediate economic impact with riders and their families filling local hotels and restaurants and research showing that cycling is rivalling golf in terms of propensity to travel and expenditure in the destination.”
“The event also has the capacity to generate significant media interest in the lead up and across the weekend of the Gran Fondo, and both NITB and Tourism Ireland will be working hard to engage with cycling media across our key markets close to home and overseas.”
“We are very pleased to announce this new partnership with NITB on Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia,” added Darach McQuaid, Director of Shadetree Sports who will manage the events after their success in delivering the Giro.
“The success of the Big Start last May was just the beginning and we are looking forward to working closely with local stakeholders to make this new event a big success over the next three years.”
Sport for Business is proud to have Aer Lingus as it’s Sports Tourism Partner in 2015. We will be announcing further details of this partnership in January.
