XX Commonwealth Games Visitor Study: Visitor Survey Results Report

7. Visitor Expenditure

7.1 This section provides further details on how Games visitors spent money during their visits. This is based on survey responses regarding expenditure on the day of interview, expenditure on tickets for events attended on the day of interview and, for overnight visitors, expenditure on accommodation over their entire trip. Key findings include:

• Across all visitors (i.e. day visitors and overnight visitors) average spend per day on those days when they were attending a Games event, including expenditure on tickets, was £98.
• Expenditure varied significantly by visitor type. For overnight visitors on an extended stay, average spend per day was lower for those days when they were on the extended part of their trip (and, therefore, not attending a ticketed event).
• Average spend per visitor per day is estimated as follows:
  • Day trippers (includes tickets) – £57
  • Overnight visitors attending on days when they attended an event (includes tickets and accommodation) – £125
  • Overnight visitors on extended days when they did not attend a Games event (includes accommodation) – £76
• Taking account of the varying expenditure levels by visitor type and whether they were on extended days, it is estimated that total expenditure by visitors was £228 million^[18].
• The highest spending groups included those staying overnight and those visiting from parts of the UK outside of Scotland and overseas while day visitors and those from Glasgow spent the least.
• During the course of the days spent at Glasgow 2014 and Festival 2014, in general day visitors spent most money on tickets, food and drink, and merchandise while overnight visitors spent most on tickets, food and drink and accommodation.

Average expenditure

7.2 Overall average spend per visitor per day (including both day and overnight visitors) on those days when Games events were attended was £98, including spend on tickets. However average daily spend varied from £57 amongst day trippers to £125 amongst overnight visitors (including any spend on tickets and accommodation).

7.3 Average expenditure levels also varied by place of residence. Excluding accommodation spend, average spend per day on days when events were attended was lowest amongst residents of Glasgow but highest amongst visitors from outside of Scotland.

7.4 Average expenditure per trip on accommodation (Figure 7.2) was also highest amongst those from outside of Scotland, a reflection of the higher proportion of those living in Scotland staying in the homes of friends and relatives at no cost.

Figure 7.1. Average spend per day, excluding accommodation, by place of residence

Base: All respondents (2,214)

Figure 7.2. Average spend per trip on overnight accommodation by place of residence

Base: All respondents who stayed overnight (925)

7.5 Comparing expenditure amongst those visitors attending different events (Figure 7.3 and Figure 7.4), the average spend amongst those going to Glasgow 2014 events was higher than the average amongst the Festival 2014 audience.

Figure 7.3. Average spend per day, excluding accommodation, by events attended

Base: All respondents (2,214)

Figure 7.4. Average spend per trip on overnight accommodation by events attended

Base: All respondents who stayed overnight (925)

Expenditure by item

7.6 Figure 7.5 illustrates how expenditure was distributed across different items with the largest amounts spent on tickets, food and drink, overnight accommodation and merchandise.

7.7 Day visitors typically spent a higher share on food and drink while overnight visitors spent a higher share on accommodation and tickets.

Figure 7.5. Distribution of visitors spend by trip type

Base: All respondents (2,214)

Estimating total visitor expenditure

7.8 It is estimated that total expenditure by Games visitors was £228 million. This is a grossed up estimate to the total population of unique visitors attending the Games.

7.9 This is a revision from the £282 million reported in the Interim Report. While expenditure on the day when the survey interview took place was recorded in detail in the survey questionnaire, for those visitors who took extended overnight trips less information was collected on expenditure on other days (e.g. during days in Scotland as part of the same trip spent on activities undertaken other than Games events).

7.10 The interim estimate of £282 million was based on an assumption that expenditure per day for overnight visitors was broadly the same throughout their trip, with the average amounts spent on the days when Games events were attended very similar or the same as that spent on the days when no Games events were attended.

7.11 However, following the publication of the Interim Report, further information was received from Glasgow 2014 Limited with regards to the income generated from ticket sales. This information showed that initial assumptions on ticketing expenditure were too high. The lower estimate of £228 million, takes a more conservative approach by assuming that money was only spent on tickets for events or other entertainment on those days when Glasgow 2014 and/or Festival 2014 events were attended. However expenditure on other items such as accommodation and food and drink is still assumed to be similar across all days of the visit.

7.12 More details on how the expenditure estimates were derived are provided in Annex B.