AMBITIOUS plans to turn Newcastle’s Festival of Flight into a two day event are to proceed as planned next year.
Councillors have rejected a suggestion they reduce the budget for the flagship tourism event from £140,000 to £122,000 and limit the festival to just one day.
The suggestion was included in a series of options to help officers generate additional cash to provide increased funding for a new system being put in place for promoters and organisers of smaller tourism events across the district next year.
A total of £105,000 had originally been set set aside for the Open Funding Call to fund a range of community events, but this has been increased to £195,000.
At Monday night’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Economic, Regeneration and Tourism Committee, councillors agreed that the Festival of Flight — which attracts around 100,000 visitors to the resort — will be spread over two days next summer as planned and its budget allocation will remain at £140,000.
The Festival of Flight is a key plank of the local authority’s tourism events programme which is facing a reduction of £90,000 to almost £1.1m.
While no firm details have been unveiled about the planned extension of the air show, council officials are hoping that aircraft will take to the skies on both days with more ground-based activities and events.
Other major events scheduled for next year are the Ulster Fleadh, which is making a return to Castlewellan, and the prestigious All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships in Newcastle.
The budget for these events has not been reduced, nor has a proposed £20,000 contribution for a summer festival in Downpatrick which will include two days of horse racing and a series of family events. The local business community is also involved in the event.
Councillor Willie Clarke has welcomed the decision to press ahead with plans to expand the highly acclaimed Festival of Flight over two days next summer.
“This is not the time to reduce the money we spend on festivals given the major impact they have in terms of attracting visitors, boosting the economy and raising the profile of the area,” he said. “It was announced last month that the Festival of Flight would be extended over two days for the first time next summer and you can’t turn round now and change that.
“On the back of the November announcement, business owners and tourism providers would have already started to make plans for next summer and you simply cannot decide to go back to a one-day event. Tourism is the area’s main economic driver and high profile events like the Festival of Flight are vital for our district.”
Councillor Clarke said events like the Festival of Flight are critical to help attract more visitors from outside the district, across Ireland, the UK and Europe. He said the Newcastle event is already firmly established and expanding it over two days is excellent news.
He added: “Tourism is at the heart of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s corporate plan and we are fortunate to be able to offer visitors many top class events. It is something we must continue to do and expand already successful events. Tourism remains our top priority and we need to continue investing in our high profile festivals.”