Over $9 million (€7m) was generated in Tralee at this year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival which has been widely acknowledged as being the best festival for many years.

A survey carried out from Friday 17th to Tuesday 21st August revealed that more than half of the people who attended the event were from outside Kerry and 44 percent of these visitors paid for accommodation.

Next year even more people are expected to join the Roses in Tralee when the Rose of Tralee Gathering takes place from 14-16 August 2013.

The General Manager of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Oliver Hurley, said “We are overwhelmed by the positive feedback that has been pouring into the office since the end of August. Families traveled in their droves to enjoy the wonderful variety of entertainment that was on show in Tralee for the five-days. Credit must be paid to the organizers of the Street Carnival and the local businesses who contributed towards making this aspect of the Festival such a success. From the three parades to the two fireworks displays to the air display and the events in the Dome, the 2012 Rose of Tralee International Festival will help us go forward with immense positivity.”

Seventy-eight percent of the 343 people surveyed throughout the five-day Festival were from Ireland, while 22 percent were from Germany, France, Great Britain, USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

Forty-four percent of those who were visiting the town paid for accommodation – the majority of whom stayed in hotels followed by guest-houses/B&Bs, holiday home/self-catering and caravan/camping facilities.

Nearly 75 percent of the respondents said they intended to be in Tralee for more than three days of the festival, while more than half of the people interviewed were in Tralee with their family and another 27 percent traveled with a group of friends.

“The survey’s findings are a further boost after we recently secured funding to stage a three-day Rose of Tralee Gathering from Wednesday 14th to Friday 16th August next year as part of The Gathering 2013. As part of the global Irish initiative of The Gathering 2013, the Rose of Tralee International Festival is organizing some special events in the lead up to the 2013 Festival,” said Oliver Hurley.

These events will be free of charge primarily to our visitors from overseas and anyone with any connection to, or a love of, the Festival is invited to come to Tralee for the festivities and perhaps stay on for the International Festival week.

Anyone who wishes to register their attendance for the Rose of Tralee Gathering 2013 can do so by emailing [email protected] with their contact details and their connection to the Rose of Tralee (if any). They will then be contacted with full details of the FREE Rose of Tralee Gathering 2013 events.

Full details on all activities relating to the Rose of Tralee International Festival are available from www.roseoftralee.ie, facebook.com/roseoftraleefestival and @roseoftralee_ on Twitter.