Good News Friday: Derry Halloween brings over 100,000 visitors to the North West

As one of the jewels in the crown of the North West’s social calendar, Derry Halloween always brings with it a welcome boost to the local economy and this year’s festival has been the most successful yet. In the days leading up to Halloween itself last night, tens of thousands of visitors had already flocked to the city to enjoy the opening three nights of the festival, with the Awakening the Walled City Trail drawing bumper crowds.

With final numbers to be confirmed, it is expected that 120,000 visitors will have come to the North West throughout the course of the festival this year, with early indications that numbers are already up on last year’s event. As the biggest Halloween celebration in Europe, we are delighted to see so many international visitors, and significant interest from international media here in the city to cover the event. Derry Chamber commends all involved, from Derry City and Strabane District Council, to the performers, to the business that cater to these visitors for the part they play in this great success story every year.

Derry Halloween has grown significantly since its inception as a small party in a local bar 38 years ago to become the hugely successful international event it is today. Working closely with Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland, despite the current economic challenges, the festival has continued to grow the number of overseas visitor numbers which provides an annual boost to the local economy of approximately £3 million. Our Council works closely with a wide range of partners, especially in the Tourism, retail, and hospitality sector. The festival brings with it major benefits for the local hospitality industry, with hotel occupancy sitting at almost 100% for Halloween night, 95.98% on Wednesday and an average of 88.97% occupancy over the four nights of the festivities. The majority of contracts awarded for the delivery of the event are also awarded locally. Initial reports state that there were over 40,000 people in the city for the Halloween carnival of the Dead Parade and fireworks finale. Derry Chamber would like to congratulate all involved for delivering a fantastic evening. This annual festival truly shows Derry at its very best, delivering a fantastic experience for residents and visitors alike while showcasing how the civic, cultural, and business sectors can all work together to showcase the region.