Capital to rake in millions as it hosts major sports events for four years
A DAZZLING succession of global sporting events being hosted in London over the next four years will inject hundreds of millions of pounds into the capital’s economy, a report claims today.
It says that each summer until 2020 will see at least one world or European major sporting final taking place in the capital — on top of annual events such as Wimbledon — in a fresh boost to the #LondonIsOpen campaign launched after last month’s Brexit vote.
The calendar of sporting attractions flagged up in the report from the Mayor’s tourism body, London & Partners, starts with the three-day Prudential RideLondon festival this weekend.
It continues next year with the Athletics and ParaAthletics World Championships and the women’s cricket World Cup final, followed by the women’s hockey World Cup in 2018 and men’s cricket World Cup in 2019, and the semi-finals and final of football’s European Championships in 2020.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The message is loud and clear: London is open to visitors from around the world, who come to enjoy the incredible range of events and attractions on offer.
“From major sporting events like the Rugby World Cup and next year’s World Athletics and Championships, to an incredible array of arts, history and entertainment, London’s sporting and cultural offer is one of the key reasons why this is the greatest city in the world.”
The report says London hosts an average of 80 major cultural and sporting events each year, contributing £400 million in extra economic output annually. The most successful single year was 2015 with a £949 million impact, largely due to the Rugby World Cup. In total, the major sports and cultural events hosted in London have boosted the capital’s economy by £2.2 billion since the 2012 Olympics.
This includes one-off events such as the Tour de France stage in 2014 and the ITU World Series Triathlon Grand Final in 2013, as well as long-standing events such as the Wimbledon tennis championships and the London Marathon and large concerts and festivals.
The figures do not include the contribution from attendances at live Premier League matches, thought to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds more.
This year London was recognised as one of the best sporting cities in the world by winning Ultimate Sport City, and Best Hosting City, at the SportBusiness Ultimate Sports Cities Awards.
Gordon Innes, chief executive of L&P, said: “London is the world’s greatest cultural and sporting centre and the city’s international event programme is continuing to attract visitors of all ages and from all parts of the world. This weekend is another great example: the city will host the world’s largest cycling festival and the richest race on the professional cycling calendar.”