Hon Murray McCully
Minister for Sport and Recreation
18 December 2012 Media Statement
Report underlines success of RWC 2011

Sport and Recreation Minister Murray McCully says a Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 report released today shows New Zealand’s hosting of the tournament eclipsed expectations on and off the field.

“New Zealand lived up to its promise of being a stadium of four million people during RWC 2011,” Mr McCully says.

“From the way communities embraced visiting teams, through to the nationwide REAL NZ Festival and business engagement events that ran alongside the tournament, this country turned on an unforgettable experience for international visitors, and proved to the world that we can successfully host major global events.”

The host nation report concludes New Zealand’s commitment to hosting the Rugby World Cup.

“Feedback shows that RWC 2011 exceeded the expectations of the global rugby community, media, and sponsors,” Mr McCully says.

“Economically and socially, RWC 2011 has been great for New Zealand, with a marked boost in economic activity. An independent assessment put the short-term (2006-2012) economic impact of the tournament at around $1.73 billion, with the equivalent of 29,990 jobs sustained for one year.”

The tournament attracted over 133,000 international visitors – nearly twice initial estimates.

“The legacies of RWC 2011 include positive visitor experiences, new business connections, improved infrastructure, and greater interest in volunteering,” Mr McCully says.

“Importantly, an understanding of the planning and operational excellence required to deliver major events is now embedded here, and is already being applied to preparations for the Cricket World Cup, FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2015, and the World Masters Games in 2017.

“However it is the intangible elements – the way the nation came together, and the pride we felt as hosts – that will define RWC 2011 for most New Zealanders in the future.”

The report is available online at www.majorevents.govt.nz

Scoop copy of report: RWC2011HostNationReport.pdf [5.59MB]

© Scoop Media

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