A record estimated 125,000 visitors will attend this month’s Punchestown Festival which starts on Tuesday 24th April.
Of that number around 20,000 will travel from the UK and beyond and so will be looking for accommodation, entertainment, transport, dining and tourist attractions. Whilst weather has a role to play it is not the deal breaker it once was thanks to facility upgrades as a result of the capital redevelopment programme.
Allan Shine, CE of County Kildare Chamber said this afternoon, “We estimate that the Punchestown Festival is worth in excess of €65 million to the local economy this year. Over 725 companies are involved in the festival and this year a record 18 local companies are involved in sponsorship opportunities.
Punchestown Racecourse has under gone huge redevelopment and the visitor experience has been completely overhauled for this year with new restaurants, bars and the Hunt Stand opened for business. We are looking forward to a bumper week and it is a huge boost to our members, particularly those in the hospitality/tourism sectors.
The festival highlights Kildare as an ideal tourist location and towns and villages surrounding Punchestown have come on board again this year in the Bank of Ireland sponsored Paint the Town Red competition. Shine concluded by saying, “All we need now is the weather to be kind and we can all look forward to the festival of festivals in Punchestown. Huge congratulations must go to Dick O’Sullivan and his team in Punchestown in ensuring that all the redevelopments are in place and completed to welcome the anticipated record numbers this year”.