The Significance of Sailing to South Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s Visitor Economy Research Review On behalf of PUSH Quality Places Delivery Panel November 2009 Prepared by: TSE Research Services 40 Chamberlayne Road Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 5JH TSE leisure, culture and tourism research & consultancy 1 CONTENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Local marine sector................................................................................................................................................... 3 Key tourism sailing findings ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Key event sailing findings ......................................................................................................................................... 6 I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Study purpose: establishing evidential baseline.................................................................................... 9 1.2 Research methodology ....................................................................................................................... 10 1.3 Study area: South Hampshire............................................................................................................. 11 1.4 Presentation of findings....................................................................................................................... 11 1.5 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 10 2. SECTOR OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Industry turnover ................................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.2 Marine lesiure sector in the South East............................................................................................... 12 2.1.3 South Hampshire economic cluster..................................................................................................... 12 2.1 South East Marine Sector ................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Berthing provision in the South East ................................................................................................... 13 2.3 Coastal marinas .................................................................................................................................. 15 2.4 Sailing clubs........................................................................................................................................ 16 3. INDUSTRY CUSTOMER BASE ......................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Leisure sailing ..................................................................................................................................... 17 3.1.1 Participation among population .......................................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Participant profile ............................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Sailing as a tourism activity................................................................................................................. 18 3.3 Sailing tourism in South Hampshire .................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Key features of visiting boats .............................................................................................................. 20 3.3.2 Crew origin.......................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.3 Crew group composition ..................................................................................................................... 22 3.3.4 Crew average age profile.................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.5 Previous visits & frequency of sailing.................................................................................................. 23 3.3.6 Most frequented places....................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.7 Factors affecting demand.................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.8 Crew average expenditure per trip...................................................................................................... 25 3.3.9 Volume and value of sailing tourism.................................................................................................... 26 4. RACE SAILING…………………………………………………………………………………………………….27 4.1 Background/ history of yacht racing in the Solent………………………………………………………………27 4.2 Categorisation of events for economic impact evaluation……………………………………………………..28 4.3 Calculation of the direct economic impact associated with a sports event ………………………………….. 30 TSE leisure, culture and tourism research & consultancy 2 4.4 Major competitor and spectator sailing event case studies……………………………………………………31 4.4.1 Case studies 1-3: major competitor sailing events at Weymouth & Portland ……………………………………...31 4.4.2 Case studies 4 & 5: major spectator sailing events at Portsmouth and Cowes ……………………………………34 4.5 Types of racing event hosted in the Solent……………………………………………………………………………38 4.5.1 Dinghy racing events …………………………………………………………………………………………………...39 4.5.2 Yacht racing events ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..40 4.6 The significance of yacht and sailing clubs to racing events in the Solent ……………………………………41 4.7 Volume and value of sail racing events hosted in the Solent during 2009 ……………………………………42 4.7.1 Number of yacht racing events hosted in the Solent in 2009 ………………………………………………………….42 4.7.2 Number of dinghy racing events hosted in the Solent area in 2009 …………………………………………………44 4.7.3 Likely economic impact of different types of racing events hosted in the Solent in 2009 ………………………… 46 4.7.4 Value of yacht and dinghy racing events hosted in the Solent in 2009………………………………………………..47 4.8 The effect of the recession and outlook for racing events in 2010 and beyond………………………………..53 4.9 Potential economic impact of hosting high profile yachting / sailing events in the Solent…………………….54 4.10 Olympic Pre-Games Training Camps ………………………………………………………..…………………….56 4.11 Solent events - building the brand ………………………………………………………………………………….56 TSE leisure, culture and tourism research & consultancy 3 Executive Summary Around a quarter of total industrial turnover in the Solent is generated by the marine sector amounting to approximately £2.6 billion in GDP (out of the £10.8 billion generated regionally) with a GVA contribution of £1.9 billion. However, the estimates of industry turnover do not take into account tourism expenditure. In addition to the revenue from the industry itself, participation in boating activities, including racing events, leisure sailing day trips and holidays generate further regional and local economic benefits, through visitor expenditure in shops, restaurants & pubs and on travel and accommodation. For example, industry output data for the Solent does not include the £6.4 million income generated for local businesses who directly benefit from the tourism expenditure during Cowes Week, or the £8.2 million visiting leisure boats spend on ancillary items such as taxi services, eating out and shopping which benefits other local businesses. Standard economic assessment of the marine sector in the Solent therefore underestimates its total value by omitting tourism related spend. The absence of this data has hindered the development of an economic case for investing public funds into sailing race events and leisure sailing. Data shortfalls have become more pronounced in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games. Opportunities for maximising the economic benefits from the sailing events to take place in Weymouth and Portland such as hosting pre-training camps and developing sailing inspired tourism promotions require sound intelligence and evidence-led thinking. To help the PUSH Delivery Panel develop a strategy for maximising the economic opportunities of leisure and competitive sailing for businesses in South Hampshire research was commissioned to quantify the tourism value generated by sailing race events and leisure sailing. The research was not confined to establishing tourism spend levels but included a supply and demand analysis and a comprehensive review of leisure and competitive sailing in the area. The focus of the research is sailing. It excludes other water- based leisure sports which also have significant economic benefits but is outside the scope of this study. The research was carried out by Tourism South East’s Research & Insights team and involved a desk-top review of published, unpublished, and anecdotal material from a number of sources such as the Royal Yachting Association