New study says GAA has great tourist potential

Flukey

A study released this week, from some academics in the north, found that out that just over 12% of tourists to Ireland know of Gaelic Games and that many would be interested in seeing it live, or even playing it. I have brought or been near people seeing matches for the first time, and they have always been impressed, even by games that more knowledgeable people would know to be not such a good match. The report says that the games should be promoted internationally in the same way that many sports associated with particular countries are. It has great tourist potential, a unique part of Irish culture, that many summer visitors don't see, even though there are games on when they are here that they could get tickets for.

Ireland’s big tourist secret is the GAA

GAELIC games could become a major tourist attraction across Ireland if properly marketed and promoted, according to research by two University of Ulster academics.

...Adrian Devine, lecturer in the school of Hotel, Leisure and Tourism, said "I think that we are missing an opportunity. We have an excellent home-grown tourism product but we take it for granted."

Gaelic games are watched in such high numbers at both club and county level that attendances make them the largest spectator sport on the island.

A combined 1.3 million people attended this year's senior football championship games alone - with more than 82,000 gathering in Croke Park on Sunday to see Tyrone clinch the all-Ireland title.

Researchers spoke to 414 tourists in Antrim, Tyrone, Derry and Donegal and found that only 12.3 per cent were familiar with the GAA, yet more than 68 per cent expressed an interest in either playing or watching a sport unique to Ireland.

The researchers recommended:

- the GAA joins with tour operators to offer sports packages with match tickets and visits to a GAA museum.

- sporting camps be formed to allow visitors to meet and train with famous players and coaches and visit top venues.

- discounted admission prices for tourists, possibly through sponsorship deals with airlines or tour operators.

The academics argue that as a sport unique to Ireland, Gaelic games should be promoted in the same way as martial arts are in Japan and bull-fighting in Spain.

"All Gaelic games are amateur, drug-free and family-orientated - admirable qualities in today's sporting arena."

"If promoted properly the link between the GAA and the image it portrays can be exploited to attract overseas visitors to Ireland," the academics said. "We have Gaelic games every summer, but most tourists are not aware they exist."

During the summer months, the students coming to Ireland to learn English are sometimes brought in groups to see the matches. While they may struggle to understand the rules, they always enjoy it. Seeing Hurling in particular, amazes them. I've had a few experiences of sitting near such groups this year and other years.

I remember a few years ago, two young men came in and sat near me. They were obviously not Irish. They were from one of the Scandanavian countries. They had been in the area, saw the crowds, wondered what was going on, and bought a ticket. They were fascinated, by what was not a particularly great game.

The main road from Dublin airport to the city passes through Drumcondra and near Croke Park. You'd have to be actually looking in the right direction at the right time to see it, but sometimes I've seen tourists notice it, and wonder what it is. You'd see them on the buses maybe heading out to Dublin Airport on a big match day, and seeing all the crowds, and wondering what is going on too.

As we all know, even at some of the August matches, there are gaps in the crowd. Some of that capacity could be filled by tourists. I suppose the problem would be guaranteeing the tickets, as some of those matches do attract large attendances. There are good matches earlier in the summer too with spare capacity, and even some of the St. Patrick's week tourists could go to the club finals if they knew about them. There is the rest of the country's games too and even local club matches. It may not be quality by our standards, but the tourists would still be amazed by them.

redmosquito

We brought a Brazilian fella to the Connaught final last year (Mayo vs. Roscommon). He absolutely loved it, he was amazed by the parade before the game, the physicality, the skill, the atmosphere, even the pitch invasion after. He took loads of pics and video footage to show to his mates back in Brazil, and wouldn't shut up about it til he left!!