Commonwealth Games highlights importance of sports tourism
The 2022 Commonwealth Games may be finishing up today, but for Birmingham’s tourism industry the real work has only just begun.
As one of the fastest growing sectors in travel, sports tourism is becoming wildly popular, whether you’re interested in sport or not.
Major sporting events have the power to act as a catalyst for improving the infrastructure and visibility of host cities and, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), can even contribute to the 17 sustainable development goals.
Research from VisitBritain has shown the positive impact a major sporting event can have on a country’s international standing.
Following the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, Britain’s overall ‘nation brand’ improved, and so did international perceptions of its welcome.
Visitors who come to the UK to watch sport also stay longer and spend more, spending an average of £1000 ($1,745) compared to the all-market average of £691 ($1206) and staying 11 nights versus an all-market average of eight.
This year’s Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport competition held in England in over a decade, with two billion people expected to have tuned in through broadcast media, 2.5 million participating in festival activities surrounding the Games and more than 1 million attending the event itself.
“Right now, our job is to make sure that we do right by this region, by making the best of what people have seen and done in Birmingham so that this place is on the map,” said Tricia Warwick, VisitBritain’s director for APMEA & North Asia, who flew in from Dubai to attend the Commonwealth Games.
“At the moment, it’s an afterthought. They [tourists] go to London, they go to Manchester, they go to Scotland, they go to the Lake District because these are the well-known, promoted places.”
Warwick told Travel Weekly VisitBritain is working with the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) on a legacy program for the area which will include new stadiums and regeneration projects.
But the biggest barrier to continuing the momentum is airline capacity.
“The most important thing for anywhere is Airlift. If you can get enough seats into a place it can take off and Birmingham has an international airport but there’s a really small number of international flights coming,” Warwick continued.
“We need to get the airline support to come into Birmingham. We need enough connections through to Australia.”
Australia is an increasingly important market for the West Midlands, according to Neil Rami, the chief executive of WMGC.
“Australia is really important, because of the obvious historical connections,” Rami told Travel Weekly.
“There’s probably more attention now from Australians coming to the UK than before [COVID-19].”
In fact, Rami said the demand is so strong, WMGC is planning a mission to Australia early next year to engage further with the travel trade.
“Despite our economic success, despite the fact that we attract more investment here than anywhere else in the UK, Birmingham is still not a particularly well-known place, particularly for leisure tourists.
“So the platform of the game is a global spotlight; 2 billion people over 11 days will have seen something of Birmingham. We’re never gonna get that opportunity again.”
In 2019 the West Midlands region’s visitor economy was worth almost $23 billion dollars, up by 3.6 per cent from the previous year, attracting 134 million visitors. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of full-time equivalent jobs supported by tourism rose by 10 per cent.
When the global pandemic hit, the value and volume of the tourism sector dropped by 60 per cent, and isn’t expected to return to ‘normal’ until 2024.
“We needed this. Not just in this city or in the West Midlands, but in the country. We need something that brings people together, something they can enjoy,” Rami said.
Featured image source: Birmingham City Council
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
airline capacity birmingham commonwealth games Neil Rami Tricia Warwick visitbritain West Midlands Growth Company WMGCLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.