2013 AnnuAl RepoRt - Australian Grand Prix

Only recently, the Victorian Government won the rights to stage the final of the ICC CricketWorld Cup 2015 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - a major coup for the State.This year Melbourne also came a close second, only to the 2012 Olympic host city London, inthe prestigious World’s Ultimate Sport Cities Awards. Melbourne has also been voted theWorld’s Most Liveable City in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the Global Liveability Survey.2013 Formula 1 ® Rolex Australian Grand PrixAround the world, Formula One is broadcast to hundreds of millions of people across 187countries and territories including important trading partners for Victoria such as China, Indiaand Japan.Thanks to our twilight race time of 5pm, spectacular images of the City of Melbourne and thehuge Melbourne signs are beamed live in prime-time on free-to-air television to thesecountries and into Europe at breakfast time.An estimated 323,200 people attended the 2013 event across four days, the largest crowdsince 2005. An estimated 69,400 people attended ‘Heritage Day’ on Thursday to celebrate60 years since the first Australian Grand Prix was held at Albert Park in 1953.The event saw an increase in total revenue of 8 per cent year on year and 25 per cent since2010 and welcomed a 14 per cent increase in interstate sales year on year. A renewed focuson the New Zealand market resulted in a 36 per cent increase in visitors from across theTasman. Additionally, there was growth in ticket purchases from Western Australia, New SouthWales and Queensland.One of the effects of this increased visitation is seen in the number of hotel rooms bookedover the event period. Accor reported that its bookings were up by more than 15 per cent on2012 over the 2013 Formula 1 ® Rolex Australian Grand Prix weekend. Crown's threeMelbourne hotels were booked to capacity during the event and there was also highdemand for restaurant and spa bookings, with more than 100,000 visitors to the complex overthe weekend.The Paddock Club again sold out and the suites and Paddock Club Entrance Loungepresented by Qantas were definitely the places to be seen.Blue chip companies such as Rolex, Qantas, UBS, Mazda, Red Bull, Renault, Lion and Swisseare major partners and supporters of the event. The association with the powerful FormulaOne brand lends credibility to investment through which they network, drive business andpromote their products and services.Education continued to be a strong focus and the Department of Business and Innovation inconjunction with the AGPC delivered the Industry and Innovation precinct. The precinctcomprised the ‘Driving Science, Driving the Future Education Expo’ which engaged students,teachers and event patrons alike in learning about career pathways within the science,technology, engineering and maths (STEM) - aligned fields.New additions to the event program included the Grand Prix Fun Run and the Grand PrixBreakfast.The inaugural Australian Grand Prix Fun Run was staged on the eve of race week. Thecommunity event saw over 1,600 participants, ranging from the age of seven to 60-plus, runon the Albert Park circuit. With the Grand Prix infrastructure in place, it was like no otherrunning track in Australia. We encouraged the community to get involved and to takeadvantage of this rare opportunity to get a view of the track that very few members of thepublic ever get to see in a fun run.Australian Grand Prix Corporation Annual Report 2013 Australian Grand Prix Corporation Annual Report 2013 3 3