The Gold Coast Marathon has reaffirmed its position as Queensland’s leading endurance sport festival with the 2019 event pumping $32.5 million into the economy and generating more than 114,000 visitor nights.

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the economic impact of the event had grown by 12 per cent compared to last year, highlighting the ongoing popularity of the marathon.

“The Gold Coast Marathon continues to generate significant interest in the region, with year-on-year trends showing visitors are staying longer and are more likely to bring friends and family to our great holiday destination,” Ms Jones said.

“In 2019, the event drew a total attendance of more than 60,000 people resulting in more than 46,000 visitors to the Gold Coast, including more than 7000 international visitors.

“The substantial injection into the economy has been driven by visitors extending their stay on the Gold Coast during the marathon and cements the event as one of Australia’s premier sporting spectacles.

“This is another strong example of our investment in events paying off, driving visitors to our regions and delivering strong results for Queensland’s economy.

“The Gold Coast Marathon is the perfect opportunity to showcase the amazing tourism experiences on the Gold Coast to a global audience.

The Gold Coast Marathon is run by Events Management Queensland (EMQ), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tourism and Events Queensland.

EMQ Chair Paul Donovan said the marathon’s partnerships with tourism bodies Tourism and Events Queensland and Destination Gold Coast allowed the event to position itself as a key tourism drawcard.

“These valuable partnerships helped us deliver an exceptional experience to thousands of visitors from over 50 countries, solidifying our position as one of the key visitation drivers to the Gold Coast,” Mr Donovan said.

“We have a long-term commitment to ensuring the Gold Coast Marathon is an event every resident can be proud of and a boost to the Gold Coast’s growing economy.

“In addition to participants and visitors, the marathon also attracts a strong livestream and TV viewership, with images of the Gold Coast beamed all over the world.

“This year we recorded a quarter of a million livestream views. Similarly our TV coverage package was aired to over 800 million homes around the world – a significant increase from last year.”

The 42nd Gold Coast Marathon will be held 4 – 5 July 2020.