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BOURNEMOUTH AIR FESTIVAL'S £24M BOOST

7:00am Tuesday 9th December 2008 in


THIS summer’s Bournemouth Air Festival is being credited with bringing a desperately-needed £24 million into the town.

The four-day spectacular was such a success that tourism chiefs want to make similar events a key part of the town’s appeal to visitors.

One hotelier has credited the festival with restoring the “feelgood factor” to the resort in a year of doom and gloom.

Tourism bosses knew the August event had been a triumph, bringing in more than 750,000 people into town from across the UK.

But a study carried out by Bournemouth University’s Market Research Group spells out the scale of its success:

  • More £10.5m spent on food and drink
  • More than £3m on fares and petrol
  • Almost £9m on accommodation
  • More than £1m in other areas.

Kevin Wood, director of Oceana Hotels, said his hotels had taken more than £250,000 in the air festival week.

“It was a huge success,” he said.

“It also gave Bournemouth the feelgood factor, something we really need this year with all the doom and gloom.”

The festival was primarily funded by corporate sponsors and traders.

Evening events during the festival helped to attract and keep visitors in the town and helped reduce traffic congestion as day visitors left over a longer period of time.

Some 53 percent of the 451 people who took part in the university survey said they had a higher opinion of Bournemouth following the festival.

Another air festival is scheduled for August 20-23 2009.

The success of the 2008 event has been taken on board by the organisers of Bournemouth’s Town Centre Master Vision regeneration project.

Consultation into the Town Centre Master Vision closed in November and results are expected later this month.

Ideas in the draft vision include building a botanic garden, a treetop walkway in the gardens and improving the flyover at Pier Approach.

Cllr John Beesley, deputy council leader, said: “I’m particularly delighted that, during a time of economic downturn, a council-organised event has generated significant income for local traders.

“This study has confirmed the importance of providing evening events to encourage people to stay in Bournemouth during a major festival and make the most of our excellent restaurants and hotels.

“The lessons from this confirm that events should play a major role in our final Town Centre Master Vision.”

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Comments(17)

John T says...
9:33am Tue 9 Dec 08

So, Council Taxpayers can look forward to a cut in their Council Tax to compensate them for the inconvenience caused to them during Air Festival Week.... or perhaps a reduction in winter car parking fees?

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ZombieJesus says...
10:25am Tue 9 Dec 08

I hope one of the aircraft accidentally releases a drop tank onto John T's house.

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ned flanders says...
11:20am Tue 9 Dec 08

John T wrote:
So, Council Taxpayers can look forward to a cut in their Council Tax to compensate them for the inconvenience caused to them during Air Festival Week.... or perhaps a reduction in winter car parking fees?
Miserable so and so!

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Adrian XX says...
11:28am Tue 9 Dec 08

If the hotels, bars and restaurants improved their service, staff politeness, product range, and quality of food, they would make far more money the rest of the year.

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ebagum says...
12:03pm Tue 9 Dec 08

Good news and this was despite the weather on the final day. Maybe next year some of the food outlets could reduce ther prices.
Wine and beer was reasonably priced, but £2.50 for a small tray of chips was extortionate.

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Lord Spring says...
12:24pm Tue 9 Dec 08

It is no good complaining about the food prices you got a show for nought who do you think finance it it, is the stall holders, Enquire about a stall and see the cost of a few square metres.
If you go to a pay display at an airfield , the prices are about the same after paying £10 admittance

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poolebob says...
3:01pm Tue 9 Dec 08

I enjoyed the airshow and hope it comes back but whilst many businesses may have done well but I wonder how much of that money actually found its way back into the pockets of local people.

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tim m says...
3:24pm Tue 9 Dec 08

John T wrote:
So, Council Taxpayers can look forward to a cut in their Council Tax to compensate them for the inconvenience caused to them during Air Festival Week.... or perhaps a reduction in winter car parking fees?
Quick lesson: this story is what is known as GOOD news with people saying good things about the time they had and spending lots of money enjoying themselves. I tell you, there are some truly glum souls around -- no wonder England's so grim and negative all the time. I think there are some folks who are simply not happy unless they're complaining. Point out the silver lining on a Briton's cloud and he'll gripe that no one's polished it. Dear oh dear.

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ranger_bob says...
3:50pm Tue 9 Dec 08

tim m wrote:
John T wrote: So, Council Taxpayers can look forward to a cut in their Council Tax to compensate them for the inconvenience caused to them during Air Festival Week.... or perhaps a reduction in winter car parking fees?
Quick lesson: this story is what is known as GOOD news with people saying good things about the time they had and spending lots of money enjoying themselves. I tell you, there are some truly glum souls around -- no wonder England's so grim and negative all the time. I think there are some folks who are simply not happy unless they're complaining. Point out the silver lining on a Briton's cloud and he'll gripe that no one's polished it. Dear oh dear.
Well said Sir. There are too many people happy to denigrate anything good that comes along. we went to the show and had great time, also in the evening when we went to the Pleasure Garden. If people don't like the food prices there was no one there with a shotgun forcing them to buy the food.

People just need to chill out and enjoy the good stuff when it comes along!

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DailyView says...
3:56pm Tue 9 Dec 08

The sad thing about this town is that we have far too many John Ts. I know that everyone has an opinion, but here we have a very positive feedback from a great show, only to be given a negative response. It does make one wonder if anything should be done for them.

The same people moan about not having anything to do in Bournemouth, yet when a fantastic show like the Airshow 2008 is put on, and is an out and out success, it is still not enough. The same goes for the Ice Rink Project in Kings Park. Everyone wants something, but as soon as it is put on paper, out they come from their nooks and crannies, we dont want that, who is going to pay for it. I think some of the £24m is looking good dont you.

Well done Bournemouth for the Airshow 2008, and all who made it possible, including the stall holders. Look forward to the Airshow 2009. Looking forward to the Ice Rink complex, and the Vision to Bournemouth through the gardens etc.

Go for it Bournemouth. Lets show these negatives what you can do.


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John T says...
4:28pm Tue 9 Dec 08

ZombieJesus wrote:
I hope one of the aircraft accidentally releases a drop tank onto John T's house.
ZombieJesus
May your God go with you!

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John T says...
4:34pm Tue 9 Dec 08

With all this money from and enthusiasm for the Air Show, maybe the tight Burghers of Bournemouth will welcome free bus pass holders to the town next.After all, it all makes money for the Town's businesses, not to mention its Council Taxpayers.
I said not to mention the Council Taxpayers.

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DavidP says...
5:27pm Tue 9 Dec 08

The EYE'S have it !!

What truly wonderful sights were to be seen over those four days. Happy smiling faces all around with everyone enthusing "oohs" and "aaahs" during the air displays. I say keep it FREE and keep it FUN. Well done to all who turned the idea into a reality.

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rook says...
7:47pm Tue 9 Dec 08

Agreed that it was entertaining and a good revenue-generator for the town. Any chance of a bit more variety next time and maybe some foreign planes? Sorry I'm speaking as someone with a slight interest in aviation rather than simply being impressed by any airplanes that fly past. I can quite understand if the format was kept the same as this year and people in anoraks are expected to go to Farnborough for more 'serious' viewing.

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cooperman says...
8:15pm Tue 9 Dec 08

anything the council made will have financed the new director of b*llsh*t

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DailyView says...
11:14pm Tue 9 Dec 08

Ah Cooperman, the Director of B*llsh*t. I thought the name was familiar.


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The Seasider says...
11:38pm Tue 9 Dec 08

The Airshow was fantastic, no two ways about it. Entertaining, memorable and awe-inspiring. A great PR event for the RAF, and a great event to put Bournemouth back on the resort map. Lets take this as a blue print and arrange other exciting knock out events throughout the year.

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HIGH FINANCE: Red Arrows over Bournemouth during this year’s air festival HIGH FINANCE: Red Arrows over Bournemouth during this year’s air festival

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