The success of Qingdao is less striking 363

The organizers of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) are rubbing their hands: the media impact of the last test has progressed significantly, both in traditional media on the Internet. "The decision to impose on each boat a teammate who is dedicated to the communication and has a high-tech equipment has demonstrated its effectiveness," said Knut Frostad, President and CEO of the VOR. With the recent publication of the SBG-Deloitte study on media coverage of this race around the world in sailing, which shows an increase of 35 for test 2008-2009 compared to 2005-2006, the CEO has a tool of persuasion to the city that it is currently being sought around the world to set the next route. Already, La Rochelle and Lorient are candidates to host the next circuit.

In the last test, 8 boats were at the outset - two sponsors, Ericsson and Telefonica, with two competitors each - and the route had been profoundly altered. For the first time, the ships are passed, at the request of certain sponsors, by the India and China, not the Australia or the New Zealand. The stage of Cochin (India) to spray all records of visitors in the ports with the advent of 811.677 people. The success of Qingdao is less striking (363.700 visitors), because China is that waking up sailing. However, the victory assured Ericsson ignited the Swedish public, who moved en masse to Stockholm (737.000 visitors). To achieve such high rates, the race mobilizes in large part to the non-initiated public, which is a positive phenomenon for the sponsors of the boats. According to the study, more than 63 of these visitors do themselves not concerned by the veil. It is the fantasy of the adventure that move.

Economic benefits

However, lovers of sailing and offshore race contributed to the growth of 15.7 of the number of visits to the website of the Volvo Race, with more than 4 million unique visitors. For the first time, the Organization, in partnership with Ericsson, had set up a mobile information system which allowed more than 5 million visits for 10 million page views. According to the organisers, these results confirm the relevance of this kind of media coverage.

For city, the direct economic benefits were also strong increase. Alicante, South of the Spain, estimated at 90 million euros the benefits, or 46 from Vigo (Galicia), 2005 departure city. This event has helped this resort to ensure a filling ratio of hotels of 85, a remarkable level off summer season. Alicante is also provided to be home of the next edition of the VOR.

This success has been due in part to the advent of 5,000 visitors 'corporate', is four times more than in Stockholm. The port of Galway, Ireland on the West Coast, is also managed to capitalize on the status of town-stage with economic benefits estimated at EUR 55.8 million, or 33 of more than expected. In total, 11 villages in the race allowed 3.8 million visitors during the nine months of the test, which is greater than the expectations of the organizers.

Radio and TV coverage was, according to the study, allowed 1.332 million people follow the adventure of the Volvo event that has also generated more than 13,000 newspaper clippings, or 104 more than in 2005 - 2006. "This is very encouraging, it is the interest in the event of new territories such as China and the India", concludes Knut Frostad. The next edition will leave in the fall of 2011 and should align one or two French crews.