Causeway Coast and Glens tourism boost for events like Heart of the Glens Festival and SuperCupNI

At a Leisure and Development Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 20, councillors agreed to fund several projects, as part of the Tourism Events Funding Programme (TEFP).

The TEFP was established for the purpose of “supporting new and existing event organisers, with outputs that align with the broad aims and objectives of the Council’s Destination Management Strategy”, a report stated.

The application process opened in December last year, and the council placed advertisements in local newspapers, their website and social media channels.

TEFP’s Growth Fund allows for a maximum £15,000 grant award for events which attract more than 600 visitors to the borough, take place over at least two consecutive days, and encourage overnight stays.

The grant was awarded to event organisers who “demonstrated how they would promote the borough as a tourism destination, the economic benefit of hosting the event, and the area to the domestic market.”

Successful applicants include the Heart of The Glens Festival, with over £14,000 in funding, the Sam Henry Weekend, with almost £13,000 in funding, and Ulster Tennis, with almost £7,000 in funding awarded.

TEFP also includes a Large Events Fund, which allows for a maximum of £100,000 in funding for events with with an overall budget in excess of £30,000 that attract more than 3,000 visitors to the borough.

Successful Large Events Fund applicants included Coleraine and District Motor Club with £94,000 in funding, as well as youth football tournament SuperCup NI (formerly the Milk Cup) and the Stendhal Festival, who will receive around £92,000 each.