Brisbane Tournament Helps The Local Economy

Written by: Staff on 31st December 2012

Brisbane Tournament Helps The Local Economy

epa03502044 US. tennis player Serena Williams returns a ball against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, during their exhibition match of the Gillette Federer Tour in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08 December 2012. EPA/Sebastiâo Moreira EPA/Sebastiâo Moreira |

The year 2013 has yet to start, but the Brisbane International at the Queensland Tennis Centre began on December 30 with the whole tournament being broadcast live on free television for the first time.

Despite competing with a new $500,000 tournament in Shenzhen, China and an WTA International Series tournament in Auckland, Brisbane has drawn a standout women’s field featuring the world’s top three of Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams. Even though it’s an ATP 250 level event, Brisbane has pulled in Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt and up and comer Milos Raonic. The 31-year-old Hewitt is making his Brisbane debut, while US Open champion Murray is the defending champion.

The tournament prize money has almost doubled to $1 million. Last year’s tournament drew more than 92,000 fans, a rise of some 38 percent.

The Queensland Tourism Industry Council estimated that last January, visitors paid for 28,000 hotel nights, pumping $3.81 million to the Queensland economy.

“There’s a direct benefit of hosting major events, but there are also the flow-on benefits for the following years,” Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said. “It puts the focus on the city and makes people think of it as a worthwhile destination to visit. You see people make special trips to Melbourne for the Australian Open and you are starting to see the same thing happening here.”

The Queensland State Government has committed $4.5 million to the tournament over four years.

Suncorp Insurance and Banking is the tournament’s presenting sponsor.

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: Brisbane International, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, queensland tennis, Sports, Tennis, Victoria Azarenka, Wta