Mayor off to Bostonto build on existingLondonderry links

As part of the visit, the Mayor will also attend the Golden Bridges Conference and meet with key partners in relation to the city’s digital economy, life sciences and tourism.

She will be promoting the city’s successes since City of Culture and the ongoing legacy work we are doing to develop the city’s economy and cultural offering.

Also travelling to Boston will be the Council’s Economic Development Manager Kevin O’Connor.

The visit is part of a North West delegation which includes the Mayor of County Donegal, Cllr John Campbell.

Mayor Stevenson said the visit was hugely important for the city and a unique opportunity to create new contacts and nurture a range of business relationships that will create new business opportunities and trade and tourism linkages.

She said: “The city and region already has a strong working relationship with Boston. Just last week the Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh came to Derry and we talked in great depth about partnership working and looking at new opportunities for both cities.

“This visit is good for us in telling our story and promoting what we have to offer in terms of leisure and business tourism opportunities. Over 20% of visitors to our city are from North America so it is important that we further tap into that market.

“We will be working in 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.”

Kevin O’Connor from Derry City Council explained that during the six day trip they would attend a wide range of engagements including a visit to the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA; the M2D2 Project and the Centre for Irish Partnerships as well as meeting with the Chancellor Marty Meehan and the State Senate President Therese Murray.

The delegation will also have meeting with the Valley Venture Mentors, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Economic Development Council of Western MA, Worcester State University, Becker College University, UMass Medical School, Worcester Chamber of Commerce, Boston City Council and Invest NI.

Concluding the Mayor said she was honoured to be representing the city and to be in a position to showcase and market the city and region.

“It is important that Derry is represented at these major events and that we are there talking to the right people and forging links that could lead to economic and tourism benefits.

“I will be telling everyone about the huge positive changes our city has experienced over the past few years and how we are continuing with that transformation and have a bright new future ahead of us,” she said.