MORAY SHARED A £7.4million economic benefit with the Highlands when the World Orienteering Championships were held in the region in August.
That is one of the conclusions reached in an economic impact study into the championships which attracted athletes, support teams and spectators from 34 different nations.
In a report being studied by Councillors today, the economic impact of the championships are measured against the £10,000 funding support provided by Moray Council to the championship organisers.
Councillors will learn that 93% of the participants and spectators attending both the World Orienteering Championships and Scottish Six Days events where from outwith Moray and the Highland regions – and of the 8217 participants and spectators attending 94% remained in the region overnight.
A total of £7.4million represented direct or indirect expenditure in the Highlands and Moray as a result of the events and almost £9.5million in Scotland as a whole.
In Moray events were centred on Forres and Darnaway with events nearby at Nairn and Glen Affric also providing a boost to the Moray economy. World-wide exposure of Moray was another major benefit with live television coverage, including for the first time live coverage within the UK through BBC Alba.