Gibraltar Chess Festival 2013: Tourism Minister Hosts Dinner for Players, Guests

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

Tourism Minister Neil Costa hosted a special dinner at the Mons Calpe Suite at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar on Tuesday evening on the first day of the Gibraltar Masters Tradewise Chess Festival for the visiting Grand Masters and sponsors of the tournament.
INTRODUCTION: Brian Callaghan, organiser of the tournament welcomed everyone and thanked he sponsors and Government for their support. He said: “I would like to say thanks to the John Gaggero family for allowing us here tonight. It is their generosity in part that has made this possible. It also gives me great pleasure to add to our distinguished chess guests our Minister of Tourism, Neil Costa. Chess was mentioned in the election manifesto of this government, no less than three times, and I think we can say that this dinner is a demonstration of that commitment and how this government wants to welcome first class chess players, and indeed any chess players to come to Gibraltar."

"I am absolutely delighted to be able to say that Stuart Conquest is taking up the role of Community Chess Professional on the Rock, tasked with developing chess into the community with junior chess. That decision was made possible by our sponsors Gibtelecom and the Government of Gibraltar.”

MINISTER’S SPEECH AT THE DINNER: Tourism Minister Neil Costa He said: “Let me thank you and welcome you to the Tradewise Chess Festival of 2013. It is my pleasure to be representing the Government of Gibraltar here tonight. Brian Callaghan rightly said that we mentioned the chess festival in our election manifesto for a very good reason. I believe that we always ought to start as we mean to go on and we based the events lead tourism of our Government on the very successful chess festival. It is clear to us as it has been clear to many governments around the world that what attracts people to a particular destination, in addition to whatever inherent beauty and splendour it may have, and there is no doubt that Gibraltar has that magnificent splendour and tonight we stand in a beautiful and stunning location where we have to continents, three countries, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Strait of Gibraltar, and the magnificence of the Rock. But apart from any natural beauty a place may have, you also have an event. Certainly events lead tourism is now accepted by countries around the world as one of the centre pieces to attract tourists. The fact, that today we have and there will be during the course of the chess festival, high or full occupancy of hotels as a result of the festival, is a testament to the success of any country that wishes to promote its tourism product by way of events lead tourism.

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