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PA
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The Angus area alone received a £21m cash injection from Carnoustie hosting the event
The Open golf championship at Carnoustie in July boosted the Scottish economy by £69m this year, according to an independent study.
Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University found the Angus area alone received a £21m cash injection from hosting the event.
The 147th Open attracted a record 172,000 fans to the tournament, which was won by Italian Francesco Molinari.
Nearly half of the spectators (49.8%) travelled from outside Scotland.
The majority of Scottish fans (84.8%) came from outside Angus.
The study, which was commissioned by golf’s governing body the R&A, VisitScotland and Angus Council, also suggested the global TV marketing value to Scotland was £51m.
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Reuters
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Franceso Molinari became the first Italian to win The Open
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said The Open had “once again showcased Scotland internationally as the perfect stage for major events”.
She said: “The figures released today also demonstrate the economic benefits of hosting major events and I’m pleased the 147th Open generated significant income for both the local Angus area and for the wider Scottish economy.”
David Fairweather, the leader of Angus Council, said the event had attracted global interest and attention, “as well as immediate and long-lasting economic benefits to local and regional communities and business”.
He added: “Twenty-one million pounds of new money into the local economy is great news for Angus, its people, hotels, B&Bs, shops and restaurants.”
The R&A’s chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “The Open has a proven track record of generating substantial economic benefit for the host country in which it is staged thanks to the tens of thousands of spectators who attend each year.”
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