UCI Cycling Worlds generated £200m for Scotland's economy, report finds
A report detailing the social and economic impact of the Championships has been published this afternoon
Last updated 7th Feb 2024
A report examining the social and economic impact of the UCI Cycling World Championships has found that it generated more than £200 million for the Scottish economy.
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the biggest cycling event ever organised, was hosted in Glasgow and brought together 13 UCI World Championships from different disciplines in the same region over 11 days.
More than 7,100 athletes from 131 nations competed in events around Scotland, hoping to win one of the 220 titles of UCI World Champion at stake.
The 2023 edition was widely watched on television: broadcast on 93 channels in 130 countries, it totalled 14,000 hours of programming, 200 million hours viewed worldwide and attracted more than 80 million viewers in Europe alone.
Financial impact
According to the report, nearly a million spectators gathered at the different venues to watch the competitions, resulting in a total visitor spend of £220 million.
A third of them came from outside Scotland, including almost 90,000 from outside the United Kingdom.
The Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and other partners all contributed to the pot to bring the event to life - and inflation brought the total cost of the competition to £60 million, an overspend of £8 million.
However, the independent report has found that the championships resulted in £205 million Gross Value Added (GVA) economic impact for Scotland.
In Glasgow alone, £129 million GVA was generated.
Social contributions
The survey also measured a range of social contributions of the championships and found that:
- 79% of Scottish residents said they intended to cycle more
- 95% of Scottish residents said they were proud to see their region host the event
- 91% of spectators were likely to recommend Scotland as a holiday destination
'Something truly spectacular'
Event chair, Paul Bush OBE, said: “We set our ambitions high to create something truly spectacular for the athletes, the fans and for the wider community with the first-ever combined UCI Cycling World Championships.
"The study underlines that this event was about much more than eleven days of incredible performance, it delivered a variety of social, economic and environmental benefits, setting a benchmark for future editions and paving the way for positive longer-term change.
“Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events is recognised nationally and internationally, and its enviable global reputation as a major events powerhouse was further reinforced as a result of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
"Events of this scale not only provide the opportunity to create memorable experiences, but they have the power to connect, inspire and transcend boundaries.”