News
21/02/2009FINA World Championships Roma 09 at the Bit
Today Paolo Barelli, President of the Italian Federation of Swimming, and Mauro Cutrufo, Vice Major of Rome with tourism delegation, presented the 13th FINA World Championships Roma 09 and the tourism programs implemented in Rome to the International Tourism Stock Exchange (Bit). The important numbers of the Championships (that will involve 4000 athletes and technicians, in representation of over 170 Countries, 2500 volunteers, 1500 communication operators for 1400 hours of television covering through the host broadcaster RAI’s effort, and that will catalyze the attention of two million viewers and 200.000 spectators in the stands) will have a relevant economic impact, as highlighted by a study by the Istituto Piepoli, which estimates the value added on the GDP for 2009 in 2,2 percentage points on the Commune of Rome, in 2,0 points on the Province of Rome, in 1,5 points on the Region of Lazio and in 0,2 percentage points on the Country. An increase of 12 percentage points (770 million euros) is shown on Rome’s tourism section. “Rome is one of the most beautiful and visited cities in the world – said Paolo Barelli, President of FIN – Roma 09 World Championships will offer an opportunity to give a pulse within a period considered to be of average season, will promote the city’s historical-artistic and natural beauties, and will highlight the organizational skills and the competitiveness of structures on the territory”.
The 13th FINA World Championships, “together with the Athletics ones in Berlin, represent the most prestigious sporting event in 2009 – goes on Barelli – and, for a month, they will make the city of Rome a salon for the world of sports, media and tourism, showing once again how to create a synergy between sporting events and cultural offers: an opportunity to catch to envelope new trade strategies and to open new markets in tourism and sports and, in this case, in aquatic disciplines. Roma 09’s Village will host spectacular and cultural events, and it will consist of a market district, the zone-Vip Lounge, the food area ’made in Italy’ and the so-called Square Events, which will be held in areas reserved for guests, becoming the focal point of aggregation of the Championships. “The organizational machine – concludes Barelli – proceeds at full speed, so that the event can arouse interest and admiration. Investments in the implementation and the refurbishment of the plant facilities, with public and private funds, are estimated at around 200 million euros. The 13the FINA World Championships will mark the city for what concerns sports, tourism and economic context. We want to become an example to follow for the organization of coming sporting events’.