Ipswich is at the heart of the festival season

Dave Muller of Suffolk New College, for EADT Business Awards 2013 (Image: Archant)

Tourism is increasingly big business locally.

Much is rightly made of the great offer Suffolk has to the rest of the UK, especially during the summer months when thousands of visitors come to our county.

As well as welcoming people to our rolling countryside and beautiful coastline, we are host to nationally recognised events such as the Ipswich Arts Festival, the Aldeburgh Festival and the Latitude Music Festival held just outside Southwold.

I am delighted that Ipswich has an increasingly active role in this offer as last week we welcomed tens of thousands of people and holidaymakers to the Waterfront for the town’s Maritime Festival.

The Celebrate Ipswich extravaganza featured a new five-day beer and beverage festival, a regatta programme enjoyed by young and old and a string of stalls showcasing jewellery, wooden models and locally produced food.

Visitors were also treated to a Viking re-enactment and had the chance to shop at a Suffolk Farmers’ Market.

Celebrate Ipswich is about showcasing our county town to visitors.

I am delighted that a huge number of businesses engaged with the campaign to give East Anglia’s Waterfront Town a fantastic festival feel throughout the last week.

The week was a success with thousands of people enjoying the hive of activity in the town and on the Waterfront.

It is another example where business working together in partnership with event organisers and local authorities can show the real value of Ipswich’s economy and more importantly, encourage people to come back at other times in the year.

Everybody I spoke too had a great time and I had excellent feedback.

My congratulations to everyone involved in a great festival.

Dave Muller

Chair

Ipswich Chamber of Commerce