Eurovision Song Contest for some is just a TV show that airs on Saturday nights, but to others, it is the event of the entire year. For many, the Eurovision Song Contest is like the Olympics of music. It’s a time to celebrate with family and friends, and cheer on your favorite song. For die-hard fans it may even be time to travel, since the live broadcast will take place in front a large and enthusiastic audience. Eurovision Song Contest offers a unique chance for the hospitality sector of the city to promote its services on a global scale. Beyond the spectacle, Eurovision is a prime example of – a growing travel trend where fans journey to experience live music events. We will examine how a cultural event like Eurovision can impact Basel’s international appeal and drive “event-tourism”.
The 37 countries participating in this year’s edition can watch it. The event will be televised or streamed online in over 230 countries around the world, making it the most-watched event of the year. Over the last three-year period, viewers have steadily increased, reaching 161 millions in 2022 and 162 million by 2023.
If the trend continues then 164 millions viewers will tune in to the three night event in Basel, increasing the Swiss city’s status on the global stage. While we do not know yet how Basel will be showcased during the live sections, the traditional ‘postcards’ (short videos introducing each entry before each performance) have already been shot in 16 of Switzerland’s cantons. The postcards are being shot in the country for the first time since 2019. Since 1970, Eurovision has been using postcards to promote tourist attractions in the host country. locations.
Visitors to Basel: Potential Economic Impact
Eurovision Song Contest has also attracted a large number of fans who travel to see it in person. There are nine different shows that tourists can attend during Eurovision Week, including the jury shows, the live performances and dress rehearsals.
Last year’s host city, Malmö, Sweden, had over 51,000 visitors attending the Eurovision Song Contest events. Turin in Italy, which will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, is expected to have over 100,000 visitors. 55,000 visitors Participated in the festivities. These two editions show similar numbers. However, the 2023 contest held in Liverpool, England reported that 306,000 people attended the festivities.
Should Basel expect 50,000 people or 300,000? Basel will be expecting 500,000 tourists (!) The show will not be the only thing that fans can do. Many tourists who come to the shows will not only be Europeans but also from the United States, Australia and other countries.
Regarding economic expectations, the predicted tourism revenue for Basel should exceed €35 million. Last year’s tourism spending in Malmö topped SEK 445 million (approximately €38.5 million) and Liverpool hauled in £42.3 million (approximately €49.5 million) in 2023, which is a major shot in the arm for the local economy. In Turin, overall, the contest had a positive impact of €100 million, with €23 million the result of tourism and the remaining €66 million the equivalent of spending this amount on international advertising.
Basel Hotels: How to capitalize on Eurovision
The city will have ample opportunities to generate international tourism revenues from the influx of tourists that come for the competition. The city must also learn from past mistakes made by other host cities who failed to maximize the opportunity.
Smith Travel Research has found that Basel hosts 77 hotels. If they plan correctly, these hotels will likely continue to increase their room prices and sell out during Eurovision Week if strategize properly. Although the hotels are able to raise their prices well above their usual rates in May, it is important that they remain mindful of the fact that, even though they have a monopolistic market, they also need to be appealing to guests willing and able to spend money.
Tel Aviv was faced with the same problem in 2019 when it hosted Eurovision. The hotels increased the room rates dramatically, as they assumed that tourists would not have any choice but to pay for the high rates. Tourists stayed at home and watched it on TV instead of paying. The event was broadcasted on TV in 40 European countries, and 182 millions viewers watched it. Tourists who could not afford the high hotel prices in Tel Aviv stayed home to watch the event.
Hotels must use dynamic pricing in order to raise the standard room rate and at the same create unique package deals. It seems, however, that hotels this year haven’t taken advantage of the opportunity to offer guests a unique package for Eurovision. It was almost impossible to find any hotels that mentioned the event or offered packages specifically for Eurovision lovers. The possibilities would have been limitless.
Creative Hotel Strategies to Attend Eurovision
Hotels could have created themed rooms for the 37 countries participating, such as rooms with artwork that showcases the region and references current and past participants. Playlists of previous Eurovision entries by the countries could be made available in-room and via popular streaming services. The culinary team can prepare menus for room service that reflect popular dishes from each country’s participants, or even an original dish inspired by the song of this year. These creative touches improve the guest experience, and they are perfect for creating shareable content to boost social media visibility.
One hotel that will truly benefit from the event is the Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel. It was selected by Booking.com (partner of the Eurovision Song Contest) as the hotel that will host the winner of the ‘Ultimate Experience for Eurovision Fans’ contest. Two lucky guests have the chance to meet five Eurovision legends and take part in different activities, including attending the grand final. The marketing impact of this one-room hotel is huge.
It’s good news that the hospitality industry will not just benefit from this event. Hotels in other cantons such as Jura and Bern also hope to attract clients who might not be able pay for the high rates of the host city. SBB, the Swiss railway company, has announced special night trains that will be available to tourists who are staying outside Basel.
Events and Partnerships
Basel has decided to be innovative this year and broadcast the grand finale of the Swiss Football Championship in the largest Swiss stadium. The arena can accommodate 36,000 spectators. A spectacular Eurovision-themed pre-show will kick off the event. It will feature Swiss and international Eurovision performers. Basel will host many events, whether in partnership with the City or sponsors, during Eurovision Week. For example, Helvetia will open its Campus Helvetia and host activities such as karaoke, exclusive performances, and meet & greets. In a similar way, the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel We will have events and exhibits that are tailored to children and adults.
Post Eurovision Song Contest
This event will have a positive effect on tourism numbers in the future. Basel has created a special section on its website for Eurovision visitors to invite them to other international events that the city hosts, like the prestigious Art Basel fair. Basel will now be seen as a center of culture and art. The positive images that will be seen on TV and in the countless articles about the event, will encourage tourists to visit Basel. There is no better way to get media attention then by creating the biggest turquoise carpet What is the most important opening ceremony ever in the history Eurovision?
This international contest shows how cultural events can boost tourism and revenues for host cities. Switzerland recently received a big boost from Taylor Swift’s concert in Zürich last year. This all sets up for another European event which is set to further “event tourismThe UEFA Women’s EURO 2020 in Switzerland. The event in July is the second chance for the Alpine nation to boost its international profile and generate unprecedented revenue.
