The Tall Ships Races brought up to EUR 27 million to Turku
18.09.2024
The largest public event in Turku this summer was also a success in terms of regional economy. According to a visitor survey, not only visitors were satisfied with the Tall Ships Races sailing ship event, but the region also gained significant benefits through restaurants, accommodation and other purchases.
The survey carried out by Sponsor Insight shows that major events such as the sailing ship event have a considerable economic effect on their host cities. The visitors of the Tall Ships Races Turku event spent a total of EUR 25–27 million. Of this, the share of visitors from outside Turku was EUR 18–20 million.
– Regional economic impacts show that we have met our objective. The event not only supports local businesses, but it also reinforces the status of Turku as an attractive, vital and internationally interesting maritime city. This will have long-lasting and permanent effects on both the city’s image and the regional economy, says Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku.
Appealing international atmosphere
The total number of visitors to the four-day the Tall Ships Races Turku event between 18 and 21 July was approximately 380,000, of which 186,300 were unique visitors.
Sponsor Insight’s email survey sent to visitors after the event received a total of 961 responses. 56% of these were from people living outside Turku. The survey mapped the background information of visitors, the duration of their visit, their experiences of the event and the amount of money they spent during their visit, among other things.
According to the survey, the most common reasons for attending the sailing ship event in Turku were the unique nature of the event and the need to experience it live. The experience also met visitors’ expectations. 95% of the respondents were fairly or very satisfied (45+50%) with the atmosphere of the event and 96% with the venue (45+51%).
Approximately 70% of those who arrived from outside Turku reported that the event was the primary reason for their visit. The visitors who stayed in paid accommodation spent an average of two nights in the city, which attracted customers to the city’s hotels and other accommodations.
An average Tall Ships Races visitor spent EUR 136 in Turku. Those from outside the Turku region spent an average of EUR 229. Tourists from outside Turku spent the most money on meals (35%), accommodation (29%) and other purchases (21%).
Turku will host the sailing ship event every four years
Turku hosted the event for the sixth time this year. Last time, the Tall Ships Races was held in Turku in Finland’s anniversary year of independence in 2017, when the event broke records in terms of both the number of visitors and participating vessels.
– Through experience, Turku has been able to develop port and crew services required by the international sailing ship event. Turku has also created a unique, versatile programme around the event that serves the public, companies and ship crew, says Project Manager Kimmo Hyyppä.
With the host port agreement confirmed with Sail Training International in July, Turku will host the Tall Ships Races in the future whenever sailing ships arrive in the Baltic Sea, every four years. With the agreement, Turku will become the fourth host city in the world along with Aalborg, Esbjerg and Antwerp.
– The Tall Ships Races is Europe’s largest free family event; making it part of Turku’s extensive event offering is a great achievement for the city, says Jarkko Virtanen, Director of Corporate Governance at the City of Turku and Chair of the Turku Port Committee.
– Knowing that the event will be organised on a regular basis allows us to take a long-term approach to event production. It also gives us the courage to make permanent investments that will benefit the city at large.