The organizing committee behind the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 held at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in March, said that the two-week event made more than a five million euro surplus.
Also, the city of Munich had 105 million visitors in 2010, breaking the record of overnight stays.
Munich 2018 says these two announcements have given its bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games a boost.
Katarina Witt, Chair of Munich 2018 said, “these figures have added to our momentum into the all-important technical presentation in Lausanne in May. They have helped to remind the IOC of our pledge to create a sustainable Festival of Friendship with potentially millions of visitors joining the already large number of knowledgeable and passionate winter sports fans whom we guarantee will fill all Munich 2018 venues as well as the public places and live sites across Germany”.
There was a financial surplus following the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011, which is also the proposed venues for Munich 2018 alpine events. The championships attracted a record total of 190,000 fans, according to Munich 2018. Sales were 20 per cent higher than forecast, with profits to be reinvested into regional and national German Ski Federation (DSV) youth talent programs.
Alfons Hoermann, President of the DSV and Presiding of the Organising Committee for the FIS Alpine Work Ski Championships 2011 said, “this is a very gratifying conclusion to a successful world championships. It is evidence that we can host a major sports event while also being economically beneficial. We have proved that success is possible with the right venues, concepts, and staff in place”.
Thomas Schmid, Mayor of Garmsich-Partenkirchen added, “this shows that the Winter Games are practicable and manageable here in Garmisch-Partenkirchen”.
Munich 2018 says the recent figures support Munich’s promise to the Olympic family that it will exceed the IOC’s minimum hotel requirement. There are plans to develop 900 more three-to-five star hotel rooms in the city.
According to the bid committee, coming off the back of a hugely successful presentation and campaign at SportAccord, these new figures add further momentum in the build-up to the all-important technical presentation to the IOC May 18 in Lausanne.
