The decision that allowed Istanbul to host Champion’s League this year, is expected not only to bring enormous financial benefits but also to improve the city’s reputation to host future events.
According to Skift, the demand for Istanbul is growing, especially for sports tourism, a type of tourism that is also getting more popular every year, VisaGuide.World reports.
Tourists to Istanbul, who visited for this specific occasion, say that every penny spent was worth it. Liam McDonald, Andrew Newell, and their group of six friends and family spent roughly $1,200 each for flights and hotels in Istanbul during their stay.
However, the whole industry of tourism and accommodation has experienced a surge. Hotel occupancy in hotels alone has increased by 20 percent during the same period that the sports event was held.
The number of flights from Manchester alone increased by a third, reaching a total of 9,300 passengers.
In addition, Manchester City and Inter Milan each had 20,000 tickets to sell and 7,200 tickets were for general sale while the rest were allocated to sponsors to be distributed. In total, there were 71,412 people in attendance, as official data by UEFA reveals.
The ticket prices brought a lot of revenue to the city, with bars and restaurants being especially lively during the nights leading up to the game, while Istanbul was packed with visitors and locals wearing the jersey of the teams they support.
Although there hasn’t been official data about the revenues the sports events have brought to the Turkish city wallet, it is anticipated that the Champions League has boosted the city’s economy by some $80 million.
Türkiye’s total tourism revenues reached about €44 billion in 2022, while Istanbul alone represented 40 percent of all tourist spending made during that period in the country.
“The passion for football brings people together all over the world. I am happy. As the Istanbul final approaches, my excitement grows, just like the football fans in Türkiye. It is great to feel the same emotions as the Turkish fans. I hope this union will be an unforgettable experience for me and everyone here,” Mastercard brand ambassador Figo said.
During the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final that took place on June 10 at Istabul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, fans stayed about three nights at host cities and had an expenditure level of €855 per person.
The research by Mastercard and Garanti BBVA Payment Systems revealed that the amount of card spending of tourists in Istanbul and other host cities jumped by 54 percent compared to the preceding weekend and another 41 percent compared to the upcoming weekend, which would be June 16 to June 18.
On average, finals have impacted the tourist card spending in host cities, increasing it by an average of 48 percent while, accommodation, food, clothing and health sectors were the main for tourists’ expenditure.
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