Eurovision brought ‘much needed’ £54m boost to Liverpool

The Eurovision Song Contest gave Liverpool a ‘much-needed’ boost of almost £55m, the council has said.

Research commissioned by the local authority shows a total of 473,000 people attended Eurovision events in the city, with an additional 306,000 visitors heading to Liverpool for the celebrations.

Staging the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine, Liverpool hosted the two semi-finals and grand final at the M&S Bank Arena in May, as well as a two-week cultural festival and Eurovision Village.

Economic boost

The economy across the city region made a net profit of £54.8m and the official EuroVillage, located at the Pier Head saw 250,000 visitors across the ten day period. Throughout May, 175,000 city centre hotel rooms were sold - the best month on record since 2018.

Well above the council’s predicted £25m economic boost, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said the contest was ‘a vital shot in the arm’ for the local economy, creating thousands of jobs.

Visitor views

People who visited the city for Eurovision festivities reported an overwhelmingly positive experience. In a survey, 89% of those questioned felt it was a safe event and 88 per cent praised its inclusivity.

Ninety-six per cent of those surveyed said they wuld recommend Liverpool as a destination to visit and 42% of overseas visitors said the city’s staging of the event had a positive impact on how they viewed the UK.

An additional survey by the official Eurovision Fan Club – the OGAEs – found that 99% of their members felt welcomed in the city and 98% loved the ‘undeniable festival atmosphere’.

What has been said?

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, said ‘the figures speak for themselves’ and ‘local businesses were on the receiving end of a much-needed boost’.

He added that Eurovision gave the city ‘an unparalleled stage’ to showcase its ‘heart and soul’ and that the research can also provide insight into hosting major events in the future.

“It was a milestone moment in our city’s history, and now we’re more than ready for the next one,” Mr Robinson said.