By Cheryl Jahn

Calculating the windfall of curling

Mar 22, 2022 | 3:41 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Every event that comes to a community, sporting or otherwise, that brings visitors has an impact on the economy of that community. Its acronym is called STEAM, an acronym for Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model.

And it involves a very complicated formula.

“It’s a huge formula that tries to encompass everything that takes place during events,” explains Colin Carson, CEO of Prince George Tourism. “So we’re talking about direct spending of the participants, the volunteers and the spectators that are coming and spending on tickets and hotels. But also everything else that comes around from that. Additional spending that takes place because of these events.”

In 2020, when the World Women’s Curling Championship was first scheduled to grace our city, the estimated economic impact ranges from $175 to $200 per day per athlete. At that time there was the expectation of spectators from around the world. But it’s hard to say this time around, given the odd conditions created by the pandemic.

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“We’re probably going to see a little bit less of a STEAM impact from this event than we would have in 2020. But we’ll have to wait and see until the end of the event and hope that domestic travel can kind of carry the missed international travel.”

Last week, the Federal Government announced changes to international travel regulations both for Canadians returning to the country and for international travellers coming to this country. And despite curlers here from all around the world, the regulatory changes came too late for this event.

The World Women’s Curling Championships are just one of the events set to grace this community is the moneths ahead, which will hopefully bring this community much by way of economic benefits.