Travel Trade Touchdown with Aer Lingus and Visit USA Ireland as Georgia Tech beat Florida State 24-21
Peter O’Hanlon (Travelbiz and Travelfinders) was a guest of Tony Lane (Executive Director, Visit USA Committee Ireland) and Ivan Beacom (Aer Lingus) for the kick off of the 2024 College football season in the Aviva Stadium, where Florida State went head-to-head with Georgia Tech. Tony and Ivan warmed up the Travel Trade with a real “hootin, hollerin” Tailgate Party and BBQ in the Morgan Hotel serving up some real good burgers, hotdogs and cold beers before whisking the Travel Trade to the Aviva Stadium for kick off.
The game was a sell out with over 47,000 tickets sold and 27,000 International fans descending into Dublin for the weekend boosting the local economy by over €115 Million! The global audience for the game was over 3.5 million with all the major US Networks and TG4 broadcasting the game live.
The travel trade guests from all over the country had a great day and night as Georgia Tech came out on top beating Florida State by 24 points to 21.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic has consistently boosted Ireland’s economy, according to Grant Thornton’s Post-Game Economic Impact Reports. Last year’s game between Navy and Notre Dame (Fighting Irish) generated a record €180 million for the local Irish economy.
The €180m economic impact figure provides a solid impact calculation based on factual data and analysis. It is also crucial to acknowledge that this represents a conservative estimate. In reality, the true value of the 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic extends far beyond this figure.
Combined with the estimated €53.5 million impact of the 2022 Classic between the University of Nebraska and Northwestern University, and a projected economic impact in excess of €115 million for this year’s game, the first three games in this initial five-game series are set to contribute over €350 million in total.
This underscores the Aer Lingus College Football Classic’s Steering Committee’s crucial role in enhancing tourism, supporting the local economy, and fostering international business connections, primarily driven by the influx of US visitors to the games, who will fill hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
“This game has become a key part of the Irish sporting calendar”, said Catherine Martin, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, “and it strengthens the incredibly deep and valuable relationship between the US and Ireland. I am pleased we are supporting the game via the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as it gives so many first-time visitors to Ireland a chance to explore our wonderful island and reason to return again in the future.”
Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, said “This game highlights Ireland’s capacity to host major international sports events and, by hosting such events, we can drive participation levels in sport and build a lasting legacy on so many fronts. Importantly, this series also delivers trade, tourism, business, community engagement and economic benefits and it strongly positions Ireland as a home for American football in Europe”.
“We are thrilled to once again showcase the very best of college football here in Dublin,” said Padraic O’Kane, Director and Co-Founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. “The passion and excitement that this event generates is truly remarkable, and we are delighted to welcome fans from all over the world to experience the unique atmosphere of a game day in Ireland.
“Adding to the excitement, the game features a local connection with David Shanahan, a native of County Kerry, suiting up for Georgia Tech. Shanahan’s presence is sure to ignite even greater enthusiasm among Irish fans. It’s all roads leading to the Aviva Stadium this month as we prepare for the fantastic lineup of events.
Susanne Carberry, Chief Customer Officer, Aer Lingus said “At Aer Lingus, we take great pride in the role we play in connecting people, places, and possibilities.
“The Aer Lingus College Football Classic offers us a special opportunity to do this as we bring the energy and excitement of College Football to Ireland, while also showcasing our brand and country to a global audience of millions.
“We are thrilled that over 25,000 fans will travel from the US to Dublin for this unique sporting celebration.
“We take great pleasure in saying ‘you’re very welcome’ to the teams from Georgia Tech and Florida State, as well as their supporters, as they travel to Ireland with Aer Lingus.”
A huge thankyou to both Ivan and Tony for your hospitality as always on behalf of all trade partners and team Travelbiz.
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