Glasgow and Scotland set for a ‘bumper summer’ with one million expected to experience the world-first event.
One million residents, visitors, spectators, athletes and media will be part of the sporting and cultural experience of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships taking place from 2 to 12 August this summer.
Today marks 100 days to go until sporting history is made through Glasgow and Berlin’s co-hosting of the first ever combined European Championships.
More than 3,000 athletes from 52 nations will travel to Scotland as part of an overall delegation of 8,500 including media and officials. Glasgow will host six sports – Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon – while Berlin will host Athletics.
As well as the boost to visitor numbers, coverage of the sporting action in 12 iconic venues will be broadcast to a potential TV audience of up to 1.03 billion. Venues will include Gymnastics at the SSE Hydro, the third busiest venue in the world, Golf at the famous Jack Nicklaus-designed Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course and Diving at Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Pool.
TV viewers across the continent will get the chance to see Scotland’s beautiful scenery through coverage of the Road Race and Time Trial events and Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, while local residents and communities can watch from their doorsteps, for free.
Festival 2018 will offer more than 100 unmissable performances as part of a world-class arts and culture programme being staged in Glasgow’s George Square, Merchant City, Stirling, East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh.
GO LIVE! at The Green will offer young people, families and communities have-a-go’ sporting and healthy living activities alongside innovative arts, family entertainment and the best in Scottish food and drink, to create a vibrant, carnival atmosphere in the city.
Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The European Championships will showcase all that Scotland has to offer to every visitor and spectator, both in Glasgow as the Host City and at the other venues across the country. The combined offer of elite sport and the thriving cultural programme and will make sure that we put on a show to remember further enhancing Scotland’s reputation as The Perfect Stage for major events.”
Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, Cllr David McDonald said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships will be at the very heart of a bumper summer of culture and sport in our city – and will boost the 2.3 million tourists that already choose to explore Glasgow each year.
“This August, visitors from all over Europe will experience our famous warm welcome and find out why people make Glasgow a world-leading destination and unbeatable host for major international events.Glasgow 2018 will further strengthen Glasgow’s reputation as one of the world’s top five Ultimate Sports Cities, with sport contributing £370million to the local economy on an annual basis.”
Berlin 2018 CEO Frank Kowalski said: “Glasgow has a huge experience in staging world-class events including the Commonwealth Games in 2014. We are convinced that hosting six out of seven sports at the inaugural European Championships in Glasgow will be a tremendous success and enhance all individual Championships. Athletes, fans and the media will profit from this multi-sport event and the great experience of staging the event in Scotland and Germany.
“We wish Glasgow 2018 all the best for the last 100 days to go and of course for the staging of this event from 2 to 12 August 2018.”
Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships are on sale now at www.glasgow2018.com/tickets