IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship brings economic boom to Sunshine Coast

More than 3000 athletes from all over the world will descend on the Sunshine Coast for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, bringing with them on average four supporters, filling the hotels and cafes to provide a huge boost to the local economy.

Although the race will not be held until September 4, competitors have already begun arriving on the Coast for the final stages of their preparations.

“The IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will inject more than $15 million into the Queensland economy and will be a boom for tourism business as it will generate more than 35,000 visitor nights,” IRONMAN Oceania Managing Director, Dave Beeche said.

IRONMAN athletes will spend on average five nights on the Sunshine Coast, bringing with them more than 12,000 family and friends on the trip Down Under.

“Our key focus is to connect with the athletes, welcome them to the Sunshine Coast and entice them to stay and explore all that Queensland has to offer as one of the world’s best holiday destinations.”

Sunshine Coast Council Tourism, Sport and Major Events Portfolio Councillor Jason OPray said the council and local community looked forward to welcoming the athletes and their guests to the region.

“Our region has long been regarded as one of the world’s best triathlon destinations, with thousands of competitors each year contesting the iconic Mooloolaba and Noosa triathlons,” Cr OPray said.

“The event will not only provide a direct economic benefit to our region, but the international exposure of hosting the event here is invaluable.

“Our beautiful beaches and sunny surrounds have been showcased to a global audience in the qualifying stages and will be live streamed worldwide during the actual event.”

The Mantra hotel group are just one business seeing a direct impact from the World Championship with almost no vacancies across race weekend.

“Events such as the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship play a crucial role in the Sunshine Coast tourism industry. This year’s event has directly contributed to the significant boost in occupancy levels at Mantra Group’s three Mooloolaba resorts over the weekend. All three resorts are nearing capacity,” Mantra Group chief executive officer Bob East said.

Local businesses, such as bike store Cyclezone are also set to benefit, and have been stocking up on key items.

“We have certainly been busy in the lead up to the world championship with an increase in rental bikes being secured for the athletes arriving on the Coast in the coming weeks,” Cyclezone owner John Carey said.

“We’ve already noticed an increase of triathlon customers coming into the shop, having bikes serviced in preparation for the championships.

“We are certainly anticipating things will only get busier closer to the event. The range of tri bikes we’re renting is extensive.”

For information on changed traffic conditions, parking, shuttle buses, spectator zones and the schedule of events visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/majorevents

The naturally refreshing Sunshine Coast is the host region and official destination partner for the 2016 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland’s It’s Live! in Queensland major events calendar.

About IRONMAN

A Wanda Sports Holdings company, IRONMAN operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, six of nine International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon Majors Series, mountain bike races, premier marathons and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than 680,000 participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 260 events across 42 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.