FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gold Coast Marathon pumps tens of millions into Queensland economy

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 7,000 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.

Visit goldcoastmarathon.com.au.

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