Carton House attracts top teams for training

SPORTS TOURISM:CARTON HOUSE in Co Kildare has begun a marketing campaign to attract some of the biggest clubs in world football following the success of bringing Real Madrid to Ireland last year.

The hotel resort has had an outstanding summer hosting Argentina for this week’s friendly along with Italian giants Juventus, Premiership clubs Manchester United, Newcastle United and Wolves, Championship side Middlesborough and Spanish La Liga side Villarreal.

Rugby legends New Zealand are due to stay there for the autumn internationals.

The visit of Villarreal, who qualified for the Champions League two seasons ago, for pre-season training was directly as a result of the exposure that Real Madrid gave Carton House last year and the endorsement that the club gave the facilities there.

Carton House general manager David Webster said Real Madrid was a “fantastic endorsement” for the hotel. “It is reassurance for other teams coming that we are good at what we do,” he said.

Webster said Ireland’s soggy summers are a real plus for clubs based in Spain, Portugal and Italy because they allow footballers to carry out gruelling pre-season training in conditions that are not too hot.

Along with a couple of pristine training pitches, Carton House has gym facilities, a golf club and is a secure environment for world-class footballers who would find themselves otherwise inundated with the media and public.

Carton House has sent brochures to some of the biggest clubs in Europe and upgraded its website to bring the message to interested parties.

The hotel will be taking part in a trade fair promoting Irish tourism in Spain next month.

The visit of Real Madrid attracted a huge media presence last year and the friendly match against Shamrock Rovers was seen by three million Spaniards.

Tourism Ireland head of Europe Finola O’Mahony said the presence of Villarreal following on from Real Madrid was a “coup” for Ireland.

“Spain is an important market for tourism to the island of Ireland, last year delivering 264,000 visitors and the visit of Villarreal is a great ‘hook’ for us to deliver the message that there has never been a better time for Spaniards to visit the island of Ireland,” she said.

Closer to the event, Tourism Ireland will also be unveiling a marketing strategy surrounding the Europa League final which will be held in the Aviva Stadium next May.