Bluesfest Responsible For Over Two Percent Of Byron Economy

If you've paid any attention to the reports from Bluesfest 2013, you'll be well aware that it was an outstanding success for musicians, fans and organisers alike.

It was also a big win for the Byron Bay and Northern Rivers shires, it can be reported today, as the results of an independently conducted economic impact report have been released, outlining just what Bluesfest has brought to the Byron, Northern Rivers and overall New South Wales economies.

The report, conducted by awrence Consulting, found the event was a large contributor to employment and revenue in the region, as well as throughout the state of New South Wales, and measured that its contribution to the Byron Shire's Gross Regional Product was particularly immense, reporting that Bluesfest was responsible for approximately 2.1% of the shire's total GRP.

This quantifiable evidence of the hugely positive impact the festival has on the local economy comes at a good time, as a recent report indicates that confidence in the festival market is growing in the region, which hasn't always been completely supportive of these large scale events.

Key points brought to light in the report include:

ECONOMIC OUTPUT: A total output of $64.1 million in Byron Shire, $84.2 million in the Northern Rivers and $150.6 million in New South Wales 2012/13.

INCOME: The event was responsible for $10.8 million in Byron Shire, $15.0 million in the Northern Rivers and $32.8 million in New South Wales in wages and salaries in 2012/13.

JOB CREATION: Approximately 379.3 full time equivalent employment positions in Byron Shire, 515.9 FTE's in the Northern Rivers and 831.4 FTE's in New South Wales.

CONTRIBUTION: The estimated contribution to the Gross Regional Product (GRP) of the Byron Shire was $28.4 million, with $37.3 million going to the Northern Rivers and $65.8 million to New South Wales in 2012/13.

CHARITY: $120,000+ was raised by Bluesfest charity stalls including $50,000+ raised by the Cystic Fibrosis team bringing the total raised at Bluesfest by CF $315,000 to date.

The report also found that 51 percent of Bluesfest visitors came from interstate, 19% were from the local Byron and Northern Rivers shires and five percent of attendees hailed from overseas.

The large number of tourists greatly benefited the Gross Indirect Tourism Expenditure of the region (taking in accommodation, hospitality, retail etc.), with the Byron Shire taking $21.4 million, the Northern Rivers getting $28.5 million and New South Wales picking up $47.3 million thanks to the event.