MORAY LOOKS SET to receive a tourism boost after a post-event survey from the World Orienteering Championships revealed that 75% of those who responded aim to return.
The survey looked at responses from athletes, coaches and spectators who flocked to Moray and the Highlands for the championships and the parallel Scottish 6 Days events August.
A total of 8117 participants and spectators arrived for the events, while hundreds of thousands more watched on live television in the UK and throughout the world. Around 93% of those who attended originated from outside the Moray and Highland areas with 86% coming from outwith Scotland.
Fergus Ewing, the minister for business, energy and tourism said: “These championships were one of the most successful events in living memory.
“It is particularly exciting that this year’s championships saw so many overseas visitors taking part as either spectators or participants – and that they left with so many good things to say about Scotland, greatly increasing the potential for them to return with friends and relatives in the future.”
The championships further enhanced the reputation of Orienteering in Moray, where the sport had already been well established in local schools thanks to the efforts of full-time efforts of Scottish Orienteering’s regional development officer Mike Rodgers.
The efforts of the Moravian Orienteering Club in their work with Mr Rodgers in the lead up to the championships and development of the sport in general was recognised when they received the ‘Senior Team’ award at the sportMoray awards last month.