How pandemic-era Australian Open tournaments generated millions for Victoria

Despite battling lockdowns and crowd limits, the Australian Open served up a whopping economic benefit for Victoria — this is how much.

Fans cheer on Nick Kyrgios in a doubles match at this year’s Australia Open. Picture: Getty Images

The Australian Open served up $405.3m of economic benefit to Victoria despite crowds being capped across the pandemic-affected events of 2021 and 2022.

An economic impact study to be released on Monday reveals the past two AOs created the equivalent of more than 1650 full-time jobs and 270,000 plus hotel room nights.

The Nielsen Sports report found $267.3m of Real Gross State Product was generated by this year’s Open, and the 2021 event generated $138m of Real GSP.

In another win for state finances, Australian Open director Craig Tiley said the average daily spend from visitors to Melbourne was this year was $259, up 24 per cent from 2020.

“We are incredibly proud of the significant economic benefit the Australian Open contributes to the state of Victoria, particularly during the past two years which have presented countless challenges and hardship for so many,” he said.

The economic benefit of the Open for the past 10 years is equivalent to more than $2.71bn.

The last Open to be staged with full crowds in 2020 injected a record $387.7m into the economy.

Ash Barty had Australian Open spectators in raptures when she won the women’s title. Picture: Getty Images

The report found 1109 full-time jobs were created in 2022 and a further 547 in 2021.

There were 213,274 “bed nights” booked in Victorian hotels as a result of Australian Open 2022, providing a much-needed boost to the tourism industry.

More than 30.8 per cent of attendees were from areas of Victoria outside of Melbourne or interstate.

And 746 million hours of on-court action were broadcast into 226 countries and territories via 25 broadcast partners, a 20 per cent increase on 2021.

“These numbers are even more remarkable considering the conditions at the time,” Mr Tiley said.

“Borders had recently opened, and international travel had barely restarted – leaving no time for planning for large sections of the tourism market.

“This all augers well for potentially the biggest return on record for AO 2023.”

Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the international sporting event created jobs and business across the state.

“These numbers highlight the massive economic benefit our action-packed sports and major events calendar brings to Victoria,” he said.

More than half a million fans attended the Australian Open with 346,468 attendees in 2022 and 130,374 in 2021.

Both tournaments had capacity limits, zoning and a five-day mid-event lockdown in 2021.