Liverpool City Council has unveiled the remarkable economic boost that Liverpool reaped from hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on behalf of Ukraine.
When the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) officially designated Liverpool as the host city for the 2023 contest, the city transformed into a vibrant center of music, entertainment, and culture, showcasing the best of the North West region while emphasizing its strong ties to Ukraine.
This joint hosting effort was a response to Ukraine's inability to host the contest following the victory of Kalush Orchestra in Turin.
Kalush Orchestra returning to the #Eurovision stage after their triumphant win last year 🫶🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/ROQeubiWaF
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) May 13, 2023
The impact of Liverpool's Eurovision hosting is clearly reflected in the evaluation report.
A total of 473,000 people attended Eurovision events throughout the city, leading to an additional 306,000 visitors – far surpassing the anticipated 100,000 visitors. To put this into perspective, a typical British Grand Prix weekend usually draws 480,000 spectators.
These visitors collectively spent £54.8 million on various expenditures such as dining, accommodation, and tourism, which more than doubled the council's initial projection of a £25 million profit when they first planned their financial reports for the bidding process.
Initially, the council allocated a budget of £2 million for expenses related to Eurovision, with an additional £2 million contributed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
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Highlights of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 report
- 473,000 attendees in total across all events – some attending multiple events.
- 306,000 unique individual attendees across all events.
- 326,000 visitors to the two-week cultural events.
- 250,000 visitors to the Eurovision Village over the 10-day period.
- 10% of visitors were from overseas.
- 49 different nationalities were represented in live show attendance figures.
- 100,000 visitors were UK residents from outside the Liverpool City Region.
- 175,000 hotel rooms sold.
- 89% of people surveyed said Liverpool produced a safe Eurovision experience.
- 88% said Liverpool produced an inclusive experience.
- 96% recommended Liverpool as a place to visit.
- 99% of OGAE members felt welcomed.
- 91% satisfaction rating for the Eurovillage.
- 87% satisfaction rating for Euroclub.
- Costs for fans (accommodation, tickets, food, etc) estimated at £1,699 per person.
- 50,000 tonnes of waste collected – of which, 80% was recycled.
RTÉ have recently confirmed Ireland's participation in the 2024 contest which will be held in Sweden next May.
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