Paddy Leonard, 11 May
There was a great turnout earlier this week at a special business
engagement event aimed at making the most of business opportunities at
the Foyle Maritime Festival.
The event will transform Derry’s riverfront into a bustling maritime
village from Thursday June 27th until Sunday June 30th, with a packed
programme of entertainment, animation, markets and events in store.
The Business Opportunities event was geared towards offering business
owners and entrepreneurs the chance to hear more detailed information
about the programme and the support available to identify potential
opportunities to trade and tap into the huge visitor numbers expected.
Those attending heard from Council’s business and tourism teams before
a special workshop entitled ‘Creating Maritime Magic’, led by Mag
McAlpine.
Mags is an award-winning professional Visual Merchandiser and business
mentor with many years of experience in design, sales, window dressing,
retail interiors and themed events. The workshop set out ways to
optimise the sales opportunities at the festival by focusing on brand
and visual merchandising and creating a customer experience that
complements the event programming and ‘Beyond Blue’ theme.
Speaking after the event, Business Development Manager with Derry City
and Strabane District Council, Danielle McNally, said: “We were
delighted to see such a great turnout at the Business Opportunities
event. The Foyle Maritime Festival offers a wealth of opportunities for
businesses to showcase local products and services to a new audience.
With tens of thousands of visitors, the event draws visitors from all
over the world, all keen to enjoy a unique Derry experience.
“The business community has a key role to play in creating that
experience and developing the City and District’s profile as an
exciting visitor destination. We heard some fantastic ideas being
discussed yesterday and I’m really looking forward to seeing them
develop and how they will enhance the wider festival offering. I would
encourage anyone who missed out on yesterday’s event to get in touch
with our business support team to see what advice and information is
available.”
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Pictured at the Foyle Maritime Festival Business Opportunity event are
Odhran Dunne, Chief Executive, Visit Derry and Helena Hasson, DCSDC.
The event was fully funded as part of Go Succeed NI Business Support in
Derry and Strabane. Launched last year, Go Succeed represents a
multi-million-pound investment in local entrepreneurs and businesses.
It provides a holistic approach to government support services with a
focus on providing a tailored service to suit individual needs in a bid
to foster enterprise across the region.
For further information on opportunities at the festival contact
Council’s Business Support team on 028 71253253 or
email businesssupport@derrystrabane.com.
For programming and updates on the Foyle Maritime Festival
visit www.foylemaritime.com and share your experience on social media
using the hashtags #BeyondBlue #foylemaritimefestival2024 #fmf2024