In the past five years the North East has hosted several major sporting events. From the Rugby World Cup and British Transplant Games in 2015, four successive Rugby League Magic Weekends and recently the European Professional Club Rugby Finals and World Transplant Games.
Why NewcastleGateshead?
The region is developing a brilliant reputation for holding world-class sporting events, and I believe that’s down to a combination of factors. The local population is passionate about sport; we can use this to create amazing atmospheres both in sporting venues and throughout the region. The North East plays home to amazing hospitality businesses; meaning visitors will always be able to find a hotel, restaurant or bar to suit them. Uniquely, we also have amazing sporting venues in the heart of our city centres; for example, St. James’ Park is within walking distance of both the centre of Newcastle and the Quayside. Tying all this together is collaboration within the region across public and private sectors when staging these huge sporting events.
What are the benefits to the region?
The economic benefits of holding such events can be huge. During the European Professional Club Rugby Finals in May earlier this year, the room occupancy rate for the weekend was 98 per cent, with an average room rate of £168.10 (compared to £79.66 for the same period in 2018).
A wider benefit of these events is that we get new people visiting and the opportunity to showcase the region, change perceptions and encourage repeat visits. Encouragingly of the 80,000 fans that attended the European Rugby Finals 92 per cent rated Newcastle as a very good or excellent host city and 73 per cent planned to visit again.
The economic benefits of holding major sporting (and non-sporting) events are eye-catching. But we also try to consider those that tell a broader story and their wider benefits.
A great example of this is the recent World Transplant Games. Between August 17 and 24 we welcomed around 2,500 participants from over 50 countries to the region. While the Games brought economic benefits, the wider story we can tell is around the history and expertise of transplantation in Newcastle.
Newcastle’s hospitals have a long and successful history of transplantation, including a number of firsts; the first successful heart transplantation for a baby in the UK, first successful single and double lung transplantations in Europe and the opening of the UK’s first ever dedicated Institute of Transplantation at the Freeman Hospital.
A weekend of sport
We are now looking forward to a weekend of elite sport that we haven’t seen in the region before. These events show us the importance of both bringing new events to the region and continually improving those we already hold here.
On Friday 6 September, an England rugby union international will be played in Newcastle for the first time when St. James’ Park hosts the Quilter International against Italy in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup. Hosting an England Rugby international is a huge coup for us and will continue to grow the sport in the region on the back of the European Rugby Finals in May.
The annual Great North Run, the largest half marathon in the world, takes place on Sunday 8 September. The Great North Run is a North East institute but is renowned throughout the world and repeatedly attracts thousands of competitors and supporters. It was the first running event in the world to pass a million finishers back in 2014. Today it continues to inspire a more active lifestyle in the region.
We then welcome cycling’s Tour of Britain to the region on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 September. The Quayside and Newcastle’s iconic Grey Street will provide a memorable finale on the Monday. And the next day in Gateshead competitors will start against the backdrop off BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Sage Gateshead.
What’s next?
Looking further ahead; it was announced earlier in the year that Newcastle will be a host city for the Rugby League World Cup in 2021. Not only will an England game take place at St. James’ Park but the city will host the official opening ceremony. Again we are being recognised as a destination that can not only put on major sporting events but everything that comes with them. From large scale fan activations that have been so successful at the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and the European Rugby Finals through to the legacy of growing grassroots sport in the region.
At NewcastleGateshead Initiative we are committed to working in partnership to deliver world-class sporting events in the region. While we know about the importance to the local economy, we are also focused on making the most of the wider benefits. We look forward to continuing to welcome different audiences to the region and deliver events that showcase our varied history and culture.
Carol Bell OBE is our Director of Major Events & Festivals.