#Trade Shows & Events
Tall ships to return to London following success of festival in Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich will be the start host port for the Rendez-vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta to Canada
London will once again be graced with some of the world’s largest tall ships when it hosts the start of the 2017 Tall Ships Regatta to Canada.
Following the success of the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival in September last year, the spectacular fleet will return to the borough in 2017 for this transatlantic event.
Set to take place during the Easter weekend, the Transatlantic Tall Ship Regatta marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation through its founders and founding provinces.
The race will see a fleet of tall ships set sail from Greenwich as they prepare to head across the North Atlantic, visiting selected host ports as they go.
Local councillor Denise Hyland said: “To be the host port for this international event is a huge privilege and we know we offer the ideal location – our stunning waterfront and historic maritime
buildings will make a wonderful backdrop for these vessels.
“After hosting the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2014, Royal Greenwich has proved once again that we make the perfect location for a large scale event.
“Like the Olympics, it has cemented our reputation as a leading destination.”
Last year’s festival attracted more than 1.1m people to the area and businesses enjoyed record sales with more than £17m of addition expenditure into the local economy.
“The economic benefits of our tourism industry are clear. It creates jobs, creates spend in our local businesses, and gives us a firm footing on the global stage. I look forward to welcoming these
glorious vessels back in 2017″, added Ms Hyland.
In addition to increasing visitor numbers and spend, a key objective for hosting the event was the development of opportunities for young people.
Sail training has for decades been recognised as a fantastic way of helping young people gain valuable experiences and thanks to sponsorship from businesses, 50 local children were last year able to race from Falmouth to Greenwich.
Organisers are hoping the 2017 event will echo the success of the festival and attract even more Class A ships and international visitors to the borough.
