Tourism attractions and hospitality businesses in Warwickshire are set to benefit from up to 1.5 billion global TV viewers, thousands of visitors daily and £300 million worth of investment, as a result of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
As the region gears up for this major international summer sporting event, members of Shakespeare England attended the latest tourism forum at Coventry Building Society Arena on how to get ‘Games ready’ with updates from Warwick District Commonwealth Games Project, Leamington Spa-based Bowls England and West Midlands Growth Company.
The 12-day Games includes two sporting events in the county - the nine-day Lawn Bowls and Para Bowls in Victoria Park, Leamington between July 29 – August 6 and the Women’s and Men’s Cycling Road Races on Sunday August 7 starting and finishing at Myton Fields in Warwick.
Alicia Winfield O’Hare, tourism lead for West Midlands Growth Company, said the Games was a great opportunity to showcase the region and extend the amount of ‘dwell time’ of national and international visitors, athletes and their families.
In Coventry and Birmingham pop-up information points will be set up to welcome visitors. Trained staff in Peaky Blinders costumes will be offering expert advice and tips on cultural activities, experiences, attractions, places to eat, stay and events across the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
Of the 1.9 million tickets expected to be available, 1.1 million have already been sold, her colleague Samantha Ward told the forum.
Retired UK Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete Christina Boxer, who is project manager for Warwick District Commonwealth Games Project, described the event as “a once in a lifetime” opportunity.
She told members £300 million worth of contracts had been awarded within Warwickshire as a result of the Games, details of which will be publicly announced at a later date.
Christina said: “The last time the Commonwealth Games was held in the UK was 2002 in Manchester and it was not likely to be back again for another 20 years
“A big proportion of visitors will be coming to Birmingham but it will impact further across the West Midlands and Warwickshire, and the athletes’ villages are now split between the University of Warwick and Perry Barr in Birmingham.
“This is really amazing for Warwickshire to have these events taking place in towns rather than cities where they usually are held. They are called the ‘friendly games’ – and they really are. Manchester had such a big impact on me it was so friendly and so successful!
“The cycling will start and finish in Warwick which is a brilliant thing as people can watch it for free. It’s a very high-profile sport. There will be BBC coverage for the 10 days the Games are in Warwickshire.”
A total of 5,000 visitors a day are expected to attend the Lawn Bowls and Para Bowls in Leamington Spa watching up to 240 competitors from 28 countries. And so far, 2,000 people have bought tickets for the women’s and men’s cycling road races with thousands of non-paying spectators due to watch along the course.
Warwick District Council is also going to be running a month-long CultureFest to coincide with the Games from July 16 to August 21. Events and activities taking place across Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth and Whitnash, will be featured here: https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/culturefest
Alistair Hollis, head of sport development at Bowls England, whose UK headquarters are based in Leamington Spa, informed members that Team England’s Lawn bowls squad includes former Warwickshire resident, Jamie-Lea Winch, who grew up in Rugby. The 31-year-old won bronze at Delhi 2010 in the triples competition and a silver four years later in Glasgow.
He said members of the Para team includes visually-impaired Chris Turnbull accompanied by his guide dog James, who will also be kitted out in UK team colours; and aptly named Craig Bowler, 43, a triple amputee who plays with his one left arm.
Alistair hopes that the excitement and exposure of bowls in the Games will encourage a multi-generational audience to want to join their local bowls club or try the sport over the next five years.
He said: “It is genuinely truly accessible in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and affordability. All generations can play together. It is one of the most affordable sports – around 30p an hour on average. As a result of the pandemic there is a mental health crisis. We have Bowls for Health where people are getting referred by GPs for social connection.
“We also want to take the sport to people and here in Leamington Spa we are piloting one-hour casual lawn bowls sessions with no rules and no dress code.”
Helen Peters, Chief Executive of Shakespeare’s England, said: “Internationally 1.5 billion people will be tuning in to watch the Commonwealth Games, which will be highlighting what Warwickshire and the West Midlands has to offer.
“Now we are emerging out of the pandemic, people are able to travel and all indications are there is a great deal of pent-up demand – hopefully this will give our region an advantage. The UK is always on the list of top potential places to visit for international travellers.”