NW200 2026 organisers hoping for 10,000 more visitors than last year
The organisers of the NW200 are this year hoping that visitor numbers will be up by about 10,000.
Tourism NI said that Coleraine and District Motor Club’s aim is to have 237,000 visitors to the event this year.
Last year, the visitor figure stood at 227,033.
It is also expected that 27% of the visitors to the event will be from outside Northern Ireland (last year the figure was 26%) and that this will translate into “around 55,000 bed nights” at hotels and B&Bs (compared with 52,542 last year).
The estimated dividend for Northern Ireland’s economy is £9m, said Tourism NI (the same as last year).
The agency said in a statement: “The NW200 remains a key driver in attracting tourists, spectators and participants to the north coast.
“The continued growth of the event programme - featuring a diverse mix of entertainment – demonstrates how the race continues to broaden its appeal to families and international audiences while strengthening its tourism impact.”
Janice Gault, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, said: “The event generates strong demand across hotels, guest accommodation, restaurants, cafes, pubs, transport providers and visitor attractions, creating an important boost for businesses at the beginning of the summer tourism season.
“The north coast has experienced substantial tourism and hotel investment in recent years, with close to 700 new hotel rooms added, under construction or in development through new builds, acquisitions, refurbishments and resort expansion projects.”
She added that the impact of the NW200 “extends beyond race week itself” and “has helped position the north coast as a vibrant tourism destination” in general.