We bloody loved it, we did. And judging by the latest tourism numbers and comments from the tourism Tsar, the Giro brought a massive windfall to the North this year.
The Giro d’Italia is among a small number of events and attractions that have driven massive growth in the tourism sector in Northern Ireland so far this year.
Tourism Ireland said the race starting in the North in May - when it played host to the stage 1 team time trial, stage 2 road race and the start and first portion of the Dublin-bound stage 3 - was to the fore in driving the increase in tourism numbers and spending in the first nine months of the year.
As well as the three week race’s start in the North, also at the centre of the new tourism boom , according to the organisation that promotes tourism throughout the island of Ireland were: the dramatic landscapes of the TV series Game Of Thrones, the Giant's Causeway and Ulster being the home of world golf number one Rory McIlroy.
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And Tourism Ireland is hopeful major sportives already planned for next year in Ulster will help capitalise on the success of the Giro visit and monetise the feel good factor in the continuing afterglow of the race.
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency just published data has revealed the number of visitors from other parts of the UK increased by a massive 31 per cent in the first nine months of the year.
The Irish came out in our droves, and it looks like plenty flew in to join us. The Giro was great in 2014, and now that's official (Photo: Toby Watson)
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In contrast, while the number of visits from the UK to the whole island of Ireland increased by a significant amount, that rise of nine per cent was far behind the windfall experienced by the North.
Visits from the US to Ulster were up by 29 per cent in the first six months of the year.
The numbers coming from the UK and US market are especially important to the North because the UK is the main marketplace for tourism and US tourists tend to spend a significant amount.
Chairman of Tourism Ireland, Brian Ambrose said he was "delighted" with the success of the Giro and the other attractions and with the windfall they had brought for the province.
“I am also very pleased to see growth in revenue for the Northern Ireland economy from all overseas visitors, of six per cent,” he said.
"Tourism Ireland’s focus in the early part of this year was on highlighting the Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia."
Remember this?
They came, we saw, we nailed it: The iconic photos of Ireland’s magnificent Giro d’Italia
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