Mayor Elisha McCallion
DERRY City and Strabane District Council Mayor Cllr Elisha McCallion is leading a delegation travelling to the United States this weekend.
She will be attending the Golden Bridges Conference where she will promote the city and region as a key location for inward investment and promote up and coming events including its participation in the Clipper Round The World Race.
During the visit, the Mayor will meet as key partners involved in tourism development, sport, culture, education and the digital economy.
The Mayor will be accompanied on the trip by Derry City and Strabane District Council CEO John Kelpie, Council’s Business and Culture Director, Stephen Gillespie and Council’s Head of Business Kevin O’Connor.
The visit is part of a North West delegation which includes representatives from Donegal County Council.
Speaking ahead of the trip, Mayor McCallion said the visit offered an excellent opportunity to showcase the city and continue to build business, investment, education, tourism and cultural links.
“This is a great opportunity to promote the excellent work we are doing to regenerate the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.
“The timing of the visit is perfect in terms of allowing me to promote the forthcoming Clipper Round the World Race in advance of the arrival of the Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht to San Francisco and New York next year,” she said.
“I am delighted to be representing the city and to showcase and market the city and region to influential people in Boston. It’s important that Derry and Strabane is represented at key events where we can make contacts and forge links that have the potential to have economic and tourism benefits for the region.
She said: “The city and region already has a strong working relationship with Boston, we have strong political and business partnerships and feel its important that we engage regularly so as to maintain those relationships and see what new opportunities exist that will benefit us all.
“This visit is good for us in telling our story and promoting what Derry and Strabane has to offer in terms of leisure and business tourism opportunities.
“North America is a key market for tourism accounting for over 20 per cent of our tourists, so its vitally important that we further tap into that market and sell our tourism offering widely.
“A very important part of the visit is the close partnership with our neighbours in Donegal to showcase the North West region as a whole and to look at what new opportunities exist for us to welcome the worldwide Diaspora to our shores and to explore new avenues for economic development, investment and cultural and tourism enhancement,” she added.
John Kelpie, CEO with Derry City and Strabane District Council explained that during the trip the delegation will attend a wide range of engagements including a visit to Worcester State University, the Hanover Theatre, Becker College and Boston College as well meet with the new Consulate General Fionnuala Quinlan and the former Senate President Therese Murray.
The delegation will also attend meetings with the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, the Worcester Redevelopment Authority and Invest NI.
Concluding the Mayor said she felt very proud to be travelling to the US to promote Derry and Strabane.
“I am looking forward to telling delegates in the US about the positive changes our city and district has experienced over the past number of years and how we are continuing with that transformation, with ambitious regeneration plans and ongoing engagement on community planning that is working towards developing a bright new future,” she added.
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