Japan Rugby World Cup worth US$5.39 billion to hosts: report
- Positive news comes as costs spiral for delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Japanese Football Association cancels bid for Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023.
- Last year’s event generated almost twice what the 2015 Rugby World Cup did for hosts England
Japan’s 2019 Rugby World Cup was worth an estimated US$5.39 billion to the hosts, according to a report released on Wednesday.
Ernst & Young’s report claimed that 2019 saw the highest ever economic impact in Rugby World Cup history, with an economic spillover impact of US$5.39 billion and GDP increased by US$2.93 billion.
A 2016 EY report into the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England found the tournament was the most economically successful, with US$2.88 billion in economic output and US$1.38 billion added to UK GDP.
Spending from foreign visitors to Japan accounted for 54 per cent of overall economic spillover, the report found, with direct spending from spectators totalling US$2.9 billion.
They estimate that 240,000 visitors travelled from overseas to watch the tournament and spent an average of US$5,726 during their stay. More than 400,000 overseas visitors travelled to England for the 2015 event.
While the 2019 Rugby World Cup saw an increase in GDP and economic spillover in each of the 12 host cities, Tokyo benefited the most with a GDP increase of US$793.7 million.
The report also found that the event, which reported a Rugby World Cup record 99 per cent ticket sales, also created 46,340 jobs.
Tokyo’s Olympics have officially cost US$12.6 billion, although a government audit had suggested the true cost was closer to double that figure, with costs spiralling during the coronavirus-related delay. Japan’s Kyodo News has put additional costs at an estimated US$2.7 billion.
The Games were set to start next month but have been delayed until next July.
