Page 872 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

Most hotel and private accommodation has been snapped up by fans heading

to the event, or who are content to enjoy the full experience through a range of
Eurovision events being staged around the city.

Around 100,000 extra visitors are expected in the city region during Eurovision,
which will also attract a TV audience in the region of 160 million viewers.

It is estimated that the Liverpool City Region will reap a £25m economic return
from the event, which will rise to £250m by 2026, as experience shows that

most tourists tend to make return visits.

A joint statement has been issued on behalf of a variety of business and
cultural leaders in the city region in response to the announcement that rail
strikes will take place on May 12 and 13, coinciding with the Eurovision Song
Contest Final weekend.

It says: “The investment in Eurovision is designed to keep Liverpool’s

economy strong – to support our hospitality and leisure industries, all of
which are facing one of their toughest years. Major events support all
industries and sectors, not just one. We’ve worked incredibly hard to try to get
the city’s economy back to where it was before the pandemic hit.

“Liverpool’s visitor economy across the Liverpool City Region is valued at

£3.58bn, with Liverpool City at £2.5bn, LCR’s overall number of visitors is
42.15m. That’s 38,000 jobs in tourism, still not back at 2019 levels where it
was 55,703. It’s one of our biggest industries and biggest employers.

“Liverpool is hosting Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine and it would be
disappointing if UK politics impacted on the ability of our city to be able to

show solidarity to a country that is seeing its very culture targeted.

“We would urge UK ministers and rail companies to get around the table with
their unions as quickly as possible to reduce the impact this will have – on
business, on tourism, on people.”

It adds: “Eurovision isn’t just two days, it’s two weeks of cultural and
community activity that will see thousands of people from the city and far

beyond enjoy free events.”