The “Ukrainian” final of Eurovision 2023 gave Liverpool £54 million
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A study of the consequences of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in May 2023 revealed significant positive results and in particular the inflow of funds into the local economy – £54.8 million ($66.2 million). The Eurovision 2023 final was to be hosted by Ukraine, because the song Stefania by the Ukrainian performers Kalush Orchestra won the previous year’s telecontest. But due to the Russian invasion and bombing, which many Ukrainian cities are experiencing, the European Broadcasting Union granted the right to host the concerts to the city of Liverpool in the north-west of England. The British emphasized that it was a Ukrainian event and several days of concerts and related events were accompanied by loud expressions of solidarity with Ukraine and events with the participation of Ukrainian artists and performers. Eurovision is best known for the annual televised final concert, the broadcast of which attracts a huge international audience. According to the European Broadcasting Union, the Eurovision 2023 final telecast from Liverpool was watched by 162 million people, and in addition to this, the online social media videos of the songs received billions of views. Research by the University of Liverpool shows that local authorities and organizers staged the concerts and related events in such a way that they managed to attract 473,000 visitors – almost five times more than expected. Those visitors spent a total of £54.8 million ($66.2 million) in local hotels, shops, restaurants and more – more than double initial forecasts. Mayor of Liverpool City Area Steve Rotherham boasted that millions of people had an unforgettable experience. “While this is an incredible result in itself, the competition has also been a boost to our local economy, bringing in over £54 million, creating thousands of jobs and opportunities for local residents and promoting our brand to an international audience,” Steve Rotherham was quoted as saying by the local paper. Visitors were very satisfied and 96% told researchers they would recommend others to visit Liverpool. British acts have rarely won the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years, so Liverpool became the first UK city in 25 years to host the final of the televised contest. Liverpool, a port city among the ten largest in Great Britain, is particularly famous for the fact that The Beatles – one of the most famous musical groups – appeared there.
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