Image: Eamonn Keogh
A MAJOR retail group has generated over €15 million worth of business for Killarney by locating its annual conference in the town since 1986, local captains of industry have estimated.
Musgrave conferences have brought over 50,000 delegates to town in the past 29 years, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President, Kate O’Leary, has acknowledged.
The first event, almost three decades ago, was a VG conference but the SuperValu brand is now firmly established as one of the biggest and strongest in Ireland.
This year’s conference will attract over 750 delegates to Killarney this weekend and at beginning of this month, over 900 delegates attended the Centra conference in the Malton Hotel.
“The Centra business was spread over eight hotels while a large number of bars, restaurants and shops also benefited significantly.
“It is estimated that the SuperValu gathering will benefit a similar range of businesses from this weekend,” said Ms O’Leary.
Billy Daly of SuperValu Killarney said with the development of the SuperValu and Centra brands, Musgraves have hosted nearly all of its retail conferences in Killarney.
“In addition, the Musgrave golf outing is returning here this year,” he said.
Mayor of Killarney, Cllr John Joe Culloty, remarked: “This level of business is particularly important at this time of the year. Killarney also hugely appreciates SuperValu’s sponsorship of Tidy Towns which has been so important to this community.”
