Marathon smashed the records

THE Gold Coast Marathon weekend is the city’s annual gutbuster – and it has also busted all sorts of records.

A bumper marathon weekend earlier this year has broken accommodation and economic impact records, official figures reveal.

More than 100,000 visitor nights were generated, fuelling a $28.5 million injection into the city economy during the marathon weekend in July.

The 2018 event’s visitor nights were up 25 per cent on the 81,302 in 2017 while the economic impact was $3.5m up on the $25m bonaza last year.

Participation also increased with about 27,000 taking part, up on 24,092 last year.

Tourism Industry Development minister Kate Jones said 2018’s marathon had the event’s biggest international field with more than 4300 runners from 51 countries.

It attracted 60,000 attendees including 47,000 visitors to the Gold Coast – a 13 per cent increase on last year.

Ms Jones said: “The marathon was the first major sporting event on the Gold Coast after the Commonwealth Games and gave runners the chance to run parts of the Games course. The feedback showed this was added incentive for international athletes.”

The marathon is run by Events Management Queensland (EMQ), a subsidiary of Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ).

EMQ chairman Kerry Watson said the results confirmed it as a world-class international sporting event.

“The 2018 growth in visitors was a result of long-term marketing strategies with TEQ, Destination Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast, ASICS, Gold Coast Airport and other sponsors,” he said. “These valuable partnerships, and with the attractiveness of the 40th anniversary, helped us deliver an unforgettable experience.”