'Our business community and their teams also played a vital role': More than 1.65m visitors recorded in Belfast city centre during Fleadh Cheoil
Belfast One figures show 289,560 people visited the city centre on Saturday, making it the busiest day of the year so far
More than 1.65 million visitors were recorded in Belfast city centre during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, with the event producing the busiest day of the year so far.
Footfall across the Belfast One Business Improvement District (BID) area reached 1,653,999 between Sunday, August 2 and Sunday, August 9, according to figures from Belfast One’s footfall cameras.
Saturday, August 8 was the busiest day of the year to date, with 289,560 visitors recorded across the city centre.
Martina Connolly, CEO of Belfast One BID, said the figures demonstrated the scale of the event and its impact on the city.
“This has been a week like no other for Belfast and has once again put our city firmly on the international stage,” she said.
“Footfall across the Belfast One BID area reached 1,653,999 from Sunday 2 August to Sunday 9 August, with Saturday 8 August recording the busiest day of the year to date with 289,560 visitors, which speaks volumes about the strength and appeal of our city centre.”
She said the success of the event was the result of a partnership between organisers, public bodies, businesses and the wider Belfast community.
Ms Connolly acknowledged the work of Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Belfast City Council, alongside the PSNI and other partners involved in delivering the festival.
She also praised businesses across the city centre for helping create the atmosphere around the event through creative activations, pop-up venues, performances and other events.
“Our business community and their teams also played a vital role, with creative activations, pop-up venues, performances and surprises, working behind the scenes to help create the vibrant, inclusive atmosphere that made the streets of Belfast come alive and drove even more visitors to the festival as a whole,” she said.
Ms Connolly said the response from the public had been central to the event’s success.
“Most importantly, this success belongs to the people of Belfast,” she explained. “They embraced the experience, came into the city in huge numbers and created a truly positive and welcoming atmosphere.”
She said Belfast One was already looking ahead to next year and the opportunity to build on the momentum generated by the Fleadh.
“We know there is more work to do next year to build on this success and ensure a lasting legacy,” she adde.
“What we have seen so far, and the excitement and hope for next year’s event already, has been incredibly positive for the city.”
Belfast One is the city’s largest Business Improvement District, representing around 700 levy-paying businesses across the city centre.
The BID funds the footfall cameras used to monitor visitor numbers, providing data to assess the impact of major events and help inform planning and forecasting for future activity in the city centre.