Sport
2 December, 2024
Lucrative Cairns Cup Carnival
THIS year’s annual Red Beret Hotel Cairns Cup Carnival 2024 gave the region’s economy a $5 million-plus boost.
Cairns Jockey Club general manager Cameron Riches said the event attracted more than 5300 individual participants and contributed $5.15m in gross expenditure stimulus.
“Over its four-day program, the carnival drew 7346 spectators, including 1603 visitors from outside the Cairns region. Interstate visitors led the way, generating 2959 of the 5021 total visitor nights,” he said.
“The event’s economic footprint was equally impressive, with $2.8m in direct and incremental expenditure benefiting the Cairns region and $3.5m across Queensland.”
Economic and tourism highlights:
$2.5m in overnight visitor expenditure
$1.8m spent on fashion and grooming, spotlighting the event’s influence on local retail
$544,395 spent by local residents during the carnival.
“Once again, the Red Beret Hotel Cairns Cup Carnival has showcased Cairns as a vibrant destination for tourism and entertainment,” Mr Riches said.
He said the carnival wasn’t just about horse racing, it was a premier showcase of style and culture.
