In hosting the Artemis Transat, Plymouth has a fantastic opportunity to showcase its rich maritime history. It also puts the spotlight on the city and wider region as a marine centre of excellence, first-class visitor destination and sailing venue.

The agency's role is to lead a sustainable economy by investing to unlock the business potential of the region. We have identified Plymouth as a priority area, a driver of wealth creation for the wider region.

The South West's world leading maritime research and manufacturing sector, a substantial amount of which is based in Plymouth, has also been highlighted by our agency as a growth area.

The Artemis Transat brings these streams together and our investment in the event forms part of the RDA's support for, and commitment to, the city.

As well as generating direct economic benefits, the race enables Plymouth to take centre stage in promoting the South West's spectacular maritime location and the city's own ambitious growth agenda.
It also kicks off the Plymouth Summer Festival, which the RDA is supporting through the City Development Company, and aims to maximise the economic and cultural potential of the range of events which take place in the city during the summer.

In short, The Artemis Transat at Sutton Harbour encapsulates much of what is best about Plymouth and the South West into a single week and allows us to project this to a global audience.

How often does Plymouth have the opportunity to host upwards of 100 national and international journalists together with the thousands of visitors, key decision-makers and corporate sponsors an event such as The Artemis Transat attracts?

Of course they're here primarily for the race but we are supporting our partners in organisations such as Plymouth City Council and the Plymouth CDC to ensure media audiences and visitors also take away a wider message of a city on the up - with significant business and inward investment opportunities alongside outstanding leisure facilities and spectacular natural environment.

Sutton Harbour, the impressive setting for the race village, is a prime example of this and a benchmark for the sort of high quality waterfront regeneration the city is engaged in, such as areas like the Royal William Yard and Millbay.
Projects like these are helping Plymouth realise its vision to become one of Europe's finest, most vibrant waterfront cities - The Artemis Transat offers a timely opportunity to take that message well beyond Plymouth's and the South West's own boundaries.