Liverpool biggest winner at the Grand National

Sep 3 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

Liverpool biggest winner at the Grand National

LIVERPOOL was the big winner during this year’s Grand National at Aintree, earning more than £17m for the local economy.

New research to be published today shows punters flocking to the famous racecourse for the 2007 John Smith's three-day Grand National meeting gave the region's tourism industry one of its biggest-ever boosts for a single event.

Racing fans from outside the Liverpool area spent more than £11m of the £17.2m generated by the three-day spectacular.

Inward investment and tourism body The Mersey Partnership (TMP) has compiled today's report, which charts the economic impact of the world-famous steeplechase.

As well as filling hotels, bars and restaurants, racegoers also spent money on travel and transport, say researchers from England's Northwest Research Service for Economic Development and Tourism, based at The Mersey Partnership (TMP). As the local official tourist board, the partnership co-ordinated a marketing campaign to promote the race event as well as Aintree to racing fans from outside the area, particularly Ireland.

Martin King, Director of Tourism at The Mersey Partnership, said: “The three days of Grand National 2007 were a great success with superb weather, good crowds, fantastic new facilities at the course and great racing.

“This research underlines the real value of this world-class event to our visitor economy. It also demonstrates the success we are achieving with our partners in promoting the event as a short break spectacular culminating in the Grand National.

“More and more Grand National visitors are enjoying both their racing and their time staying in our destination. And, of course, the event remains as popular as ever with our local audience as well.”

The 2007 John Smith's Grand National in April attracted a total attendance of over 148,000 during the three days of the race meeting.

More than 40% of visitors to the event were local, from either Liverpool or Merseyside. Around 14% were from Ireland, 10% from Eire and the other 4% from Northern Ireland, while 6% were from the Midlands and 7% from the London area.

Almost a third were taking advantage of the race meeting to stay on Merseyside.

The research showed virtually every Irish visitor booked into hotels or stayed with friends, with 70% of London area visitors turning it into a mini holiday. Thousands more paid a day-trip to Mersey- side, to attend either the Grand National main event on the Satur- day, or Ladies Day on the Friday.

The average age of visitors to the 2007 was 42 years, with women visitors typically being younger than the men (39 compared to almost 44). More than half of visitors, 57%, were men.

The average staying visitor spent £88.56 per person for the duration of the visit on accommo- dation, or £113.04 if only including those staying in paid accommodation.

The total spent per person per day at the racecourse was £98.37, £20.37 on food and drink, £7.83 on travel and transport and £68.14 on other spending, which included a flutter on the horses.

RACING: PAGES 29-30

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