Businesses keen to maximise Foyle Maritime Festival opportunities
9 May 2024
There was a great turnout yesterday 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.”
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 [email protected].
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