The 2022 Commonwealth Games, confirmed to be held in Birmingham in the UK, are expected to bring an additional £526 million to the West Midlands regional economy, according to Inside the Games
The 2022 Commonwealth Games, confirmed to be held in Birmingham in the UK, are expected to bring an additional £526 million to the West Midlands regional economy, according to Inside the Games.
Tourism will provide the biggest economic benefit to the region, with between 500,000 and 1 million additional visitors expected to arrive during the 11-day multi-sport event in 4 years’ time.
The Games’ first cultural programme, highlighting the city’s diversity, industrial history and heritage, will run alongside the sporting activity.
In addition, the Games are estimated to support an average of 4,526 workers a year between 2018 and 2022.
The tourism sector has welcomed the Games for its predicted economic boost.
This is in spite of the cost of hundreds of millions of pounds required to host the event, as the UK government has pledged to provide 75% of the required funding.
The Commonwealth Games were last held in England in Manchester in 2002.
Birmingham won the bid for the 2022 Games following the retraction of host status from Durban in March when it failed to meet several financial deadlines.
Chief Executive of the West Midlands Growth Company and member of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games bid committee, Neil Rami, said that the Games would provide the opportunity for the West Midlands to make its mark and would be a tremendous endorsement for the region.
Birmingham has seen a 17% increase in domestic tourism and a 52% increase in international visitors since 2011, said the Chief Executive, and now had the chance to showcase its regeneration and resurgence on a global stage.
He added that the city would see an enduring impact from the Games on the growth of its domestic and international tourism and would provide an “outstanding welcome” to the sports fans arriving in 4 years’ time.
Nicholas Northam, UK Managing Director of Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts, said that the sporting event would further strengthen the city’s position as a great location for sports, culture and travel and would benefit the area’s transport links, hospitality sector and community.
