INCREASINGLY, Glasgow is becoming the destination of choice for some of the biggest events in the world.

 

Organisers appreciate the city's first class venues, the behind the scenes organisation and the friendly can-do attitude of its people.

As Glasgow City Marketing Bureau celebrated its 10th anniversary today, it revealed those major events have been attended by 4.6million people and have injected nearly £230m into the city economy.

And the overwhelming success of the Commonwealth Games last year has shown event organisers worldwide that the city is able to take on any challenge.

Over the past decade, Glasgow has welcomed everything from the UEFA Cup Final and the World Irish Dancing Championships to Olympic football, the Games torch relay, the MTV Europe Music Awards and BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Marketing Bureau bosses say the success of the Games will bring a number of major events in the coming years, extending the city's calendar of world-class sporting and cultural events until 2020.

These include the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships, 2015 Turner Prize, 2015 British Athletics International, 2016 World Irish Dancing Championships, 2016 Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art, 2018 World Irish Dancing Championships, 2018 European Swimming Championships, 2020 World Men's Curling Championships and UEFA Euro 2020.

And recently it was announced the city will co-host the inaugural, multi-sport European Sports Championships with Berlin in 2018.

That follows a decision by some of Europe's top sports to bring together their European Championships for the first time including cycling, swimming and athletics.

The event, which is expected to attract a TV audience of around 850 million, will see nearly 3000 athletes travel to Scotland in the summer of 2018 as part of a total delegation of around 8200 officials, media and others.

All the major events come on top of regular highlights of the city year including Celtic Connections, Glasgow Film Festival. Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the World Pipe Band Championships.

The city's £330m investment in venues like the Hydro and the Emirates Arena have given the city new world-class venues with the capacity to take large scale events.

City council leader Gordon Matheson, who is chairman of the Marketing Bureau said: "Glasgow is a city with a sense of self belief that oozes confidence.

"We have been through a rite of passage, overcoming industrial decline and reinventing our economy to become a leading example of city regeneration.

"A real strength has been the resilience of our tourism sector and, more specifically, our strategy of attracting a diverse portfolio of major sporting and cultural events coupled with significant investment in new world-class venues.

"When event organisers come to Glasgow they always comment on the strength of our city partnerships and the positive teamwork that exists across all the touch-points of event delivery. It is this 'one Glasgow' approach that sets us apart from our competitors.

"We have the infrastructure, the skills and expertise, and above all the friendliness, energy and can-do attitude of the people of Glasgow, which makes this city the complete package.

"In an increasingly competitive global events market, Glasgow is now firmly established as a major player with a hugely ambitious events industry and we will continue to punch above our weight for many years to come."

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: "The Commonwealth Games and the MTV awards last year and the World Gymnastics this October have all helped Glasgow present afresh the attractions of the city as a visitor destination.

"Others are now arriving with reassuring regularity and the City Marketing Bureau has played a leading role in this success."