2 minute read
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Leading up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Sunshine Coast hosted 500 visitors from nine countries training for Commonwealth glory in 16 different sports - making it the non-Games destination with the largest range and number of pre-Games visiting athletes and officials.
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Securing visitation of this level was the result of lead in work starting four years out from the Games. Sunshine Coast Council worked with local stakeholders such as the Sports Federation and the University of the Sunshine Coast to compile a prospectus, showcasing our region’s outstanding natural and built sporting assets. The region was then pitched to sporting bodies from a number of Commonwealth countries.
By attracting Commonwealth countries for pre-Games training camps, Sunshine Coast planned to leverage the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (the Games), by:
growing the region’s reputation as a training destination for high-performance sports strengthening community engagement, and generating new economic opportunities for local businesses.
Why we targeted international athletes?
Sunshine Coast Council’s Regional Economic Development Strategy identifies Sport, Tourism and
Leisure as one of seven high-value industries that offer the greatest potential to grow the regional economy, particularly given approximately 14,000 active businesses in the Sunshine Coast Local Government area have available products or services that relate to the sports industry supply chain.
With national or international standard training facilities on the Sunshine Coast for 39 sports, the region is increasingly being recognised as one of Australia’s premier sports training destinations and a great host of major and international sporting events and teams. However, it is well understood that the Sunshine Coast will increasingly be competing for market share of visiting athletes against areas that have recently secured new and enhanced infrastructure in the lead up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
As a result of increased competition between sporting destinations, proactive action is needed to secure the current 1,913 full time equivalent jobs and $442 million estimated spend on sports by locals and visitors. Additionally, by targeting high-profile athletes leading into an international event set to attract a potential viewing audience of 1.5 billion people, meant the Sunshine Coast brand would be showcased extensively in social media around the world.
