NINE out of ten people who attended the Tall Ships event in Greenock last summer said they would return if it was held in Inverclyde again, according to a survey.

Inverclyde Council’s Regeneration Committee was given the key findings of an independent economic impact assessment into last July’s four day festival.

Convener Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld said: "The report indicates that the Tall Ships event was a tremendous success for Inverclyde. We know that of the 750,000 visits made, three quarters were people from outside of the area and nearly a third came from outside the West of Scotland. Our aim was to put Inverclyde on the world stage and showcase the progress we have made over recent years regenerating and transforming the area. The feedback we have had suggests we achieved our goal. There were of course, a number of difficulties which we are aware of including problems with the site and suggestions as to how best to capitalise on an event of this nature in terms of the local economy.”

The economic study was commissioned to increase understanding of the impact of large events on the local economy, to demonstrate the impacts at the Inverclyde, West of Scotland and Scotland levels, to contribute to national debates about the value of events to promote Scotland and generate additional evidence in support of future events.

Around £10.4 million was generated for Inverclyde, £8.6 million for the West of Scotland and £5.2 million for the Scottish economy, according to the study.

Regeneration Vice Convener and Council Leader Councillor Stephen McCabe said: "The vast majority of people – 96 per cent - said the experience of visiting Inverclyde was hugely positive and 60 per cent said they were likely to visit Inverclyde again in the next three years. We are making real changes, building new schools, investing in leisure facilities, to transform Inverclyde into a place where people can live, work and relax and bring up their families. This feedback from such a prestigious event as the Tall Ships reflects how far we have come and points to a brighter future for our communities."

Tall Ships Event Photo Galleries