The last Valencia Marathon, held on December 3 of last year, left a tourist expenditure of 31.3 million euros in the city and its surroundings, which represents an increase of 9.8% in real terms compared to the edition. 2022. This is revealed by the Economic Impact Report of the test prepared by the Valencian Institute of Economic Research (Ivie), which breaks down the economic effects of an event in which the organization invested a total of 6.2 million euros, 1% more in real terms than the previous year. Translated by the Ivie, this means that for every euro spent in the organization, up to five euros of tourist spending were generated by participants from outside the region and their families.
The high number of foreign runners, which grows by 29% over the 2022 edition and already represents 57% of the total, is one of the causes of the increase in tourist spending, because their stay in the city is longer and their average expenditure daily is greater. In 2023 the number of foreign runners reached 18,540 people, whose average individual spending amounts to 157.4 euros per day, compared to 122.3 euros for national runners.
For Paco Borao, president of SD Correcaminos, he recognized that “the growing census of the Valencia Marathon and the continuous increase in foreign participation in the event has caused the extraordinary economic impact of our event in recent years. So we can only say loudly: long live the Valencia Marathon and its beneficial impact on the city.” For his part, Juan Miguel Gómez, director of the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, main collaborator of the race, highlighted that the more than 10.5 million that the Valencia Marathon leaves for the public coffers. "I cannot find greater value in an event in a city than this one that leaves image, wealth and benefit for all residents, directly or indirectly."
Likewise, María Ángeles Vidal, managing director of the Municipal Sports Foundation of the Valencia City Council, highlighted that "the 600 jobs that have been created in all sectors and that have an effect on professionalization and training that has meant that we are creating a professional network specializing in sporting events and the Valencia Marathon has been one of the drivers of this situation.” These 600 jobs are full-time per year, which represents an increase of 5.1% compared to the 2022 edition.
However, tourist spending is not the only economic impact that the Valencia Marathon leaves. According to the report, this "tractor effect" has been expanding and, since 2011, the impacts of the Marathon in the province of Valencia have multiplied by 9 in real terms, in the case of the income generated, and almost by 12, in the case of employment.
The 37.5 million euros that add up to the expense associated with the organization and that made by the participants and their companions generate a total impact on the turnover (company turnover) of the Valencian economy of 67.6 million euros. . This translates into a real impact on Valencian income (GDP, that is, salaries, wages and company profits), which in 2023 reached 19.9 million euros, 7.4% more in real terms than in 2022. .
