The glitz and the glamour of Eurovision! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a special event to attend, and be it the grand final. And, I had the luxury of being in the VIP Suite – a bonus. What about Liverpool, a city near and dear to my heart? Incredible hosts. And what does this mean for a city that urgently needs a lift to its tourism industry post-covid, as I mentioned briefly in my last article?
Without question, Eurovision has left a lasting impression on the city of Liverpool. Apart from football fanatics, die-hard Beatles fans who have visited the city in recent years, and passionate travellers, Liverpool’s last genuine spotlight was in 2008, when the city was the Capital of Culture, and it reaped the rewards from that status. Now that Eurovision has concluded, I can picture the same thing occurring.
I have to confess, Eurovision is an event I stopped watching altogether for years, partly to do with my feeling it was more about politics rather than it is about a celebration of music. You can argue and say the last time the U.K. won in 1997 was due to a change in the government, and the vote was predicated on perhaps the rest of Europe’s elation.
Even last year’s winners, Ukraine, a nation going through torrid times – if it wasn’t for the war there, would they have been in the frame of winning? Famously, the voice of Eurovision in the U.K., Terry Wogan, quit his role with the BBC because he felt it had nothing to do with music anymore.
Having said that, I was intrigued this time by the event as it was close to home – I couldn’t help but get excited by it all. As did the whole nation, as it captured people’s attention up and down the country – all a boost Liverpool needed as many establishments in the city and on the outskirts of Liverpool have struggled to keep their business afloat or even open with the rise of the cost of living and interest rates.
The city hosted the event on behalf of war-torn Ukraine. According to a city council spokesperson I contacted, the number of visitors from early footfall statistics exceeded everyone’s expectations. “The only figure we have released post-event is that the Eurovision Village at the Pier Head welcomed 250,000 visitors.” Only 100,000 visitors were predicted in total before the event came to town.
Council spokesperson continued, “We don’t have official figures yet as we are working on the final host city evaluation, which will include the stats – we expect this to be available mid to late June. However, I’m aware some partners have suggested a footfall figure of around 500,000 visitors, and you’ll also find some news stories relating to Liverpool ONE’s footfall.” From those stats, it was an overwhelming success.
The city area mayor, Steve Rotheram, described Liverpool’s hosting of the “Most successful Eurovision Song Contest” as a significant boost for hotels, restaurants, and businesses. I spoke to several shop owners, who told me they were all rushed off their feet. Doogles Donut & Coffee (on Mann Island near the Royal Albert Docks), co-owner Christian Anderson told me they had to close up early and reopen because they ran out of doughnuts because of how busy they were.
What does all of this mean? Sweden’s Loreen took home the prize in the grand final on Saturday, even though Käärijä’s performance of Finland’s “Cha Cha Cha” in the arena had everyone in a frenzy – one of the fans in attendance knocked me in my head with all the excitement. But, according to Steve Rotheram, Liverpool is also a winner, with up to £250 million in economic gains expected over the following two years.
I spoke to several people on the final night from all over the U.K. and Europe whilst taking advantage of all the food and drink on offer with my ticket – all telling me how stunning Liverpool is and how friendly and welcoming everyone had been to them.
One devoted British Eurovision fan, Roger Draper, who has attended finals all over Europe in the last decade, told me, “The last time I was in Liverpool was when ‘This Morning’ was filmed at the Royal Albert Docks, which was 25 plus years ago.” This Morning is a popular mid-morning magazine show in the U.K. “I remember walking up to the docks, and the city was just empty with nothing about it. I cannot believe how amazing the city is now, and I will be returning again with my family.”
Jenny Hoare, who travelled across from the Republic of Ireland, said, “The city has oozed with glitz and glamour, and I’ve been going to host cities since I was 6 with my family.” Another nod to how great the city hosted the event.
Despite everything being favourable, the only thing that may halt the growth of tourism is a decline in domestic travel, which is essential to any tourism growth if that prediction of a further £250 million is to be added to the economy in Liverpool. Doogles Donuts & Coffee co-owner Christian Anderson weighed in again and made an interesting point when I spoke to him about what could stop the growth. “Eurovision was amazing and gave us a lot of business, but there have been moments since we opened back in February of this year, and it’s simply been so quiet. The only concern I would have is the cost of travel within the U.K.; going abroad is far more enticing for Brits because it is much cheaper. Let’s hope that is not the case,” Anderson said optimistically.
Even I don’t go into the city as much as I used to because of the rise in the cost of public transport. It’s a similar scenario for me going to London where a train ticket costs nearly £100 return if not more. Sometimes I can obtain cheap airfare to Europe and have a fantastic time while still having enough money left in my pocket. And, as I’ve already mentioned, we’re experiencing a cost-of-living difficulty.
Despite this, only time will tell what will happen. Eurovision was a truly remarkable occasion that brought Liverpool the limelight it deserved. The town is still buzzing from it. The BBC, which aired the show in the U.K., said it broke modern television records for the contest. There were several businesses at the Eurovision Village that all made enormous profits. I, myself, have got a new-found love for Eurovision and cannot wait for next year. After being the biggest winner, Liverpool has earned the right to host more momentous events. What will that next global event be? Hopefully, I won’t have to wait too long before I welcome the world back for the next extravaganza.
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Shebs Alom
Shebs is a Broadcaster, writer and Podcaster. He is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. He’s hosted a breakfast called Rise & Shine on the only dedicated travel radio station in Africa, Gallivant Radio. Shebs also hosts a travel podcast, Take a Wander With Shebs, which can be seen on his YouTube channel and heard on all major podcasting platforms. Shebs is also the Editor & Commercial Officer for Voyagers Voice. He also runs Shebs The Wanderer Ltd.