SAIL250 Maryland and Airshow Baltimore drew more than 600,000 participants, had an estimated economic impact of $114.5 million and generated more than 3.2 billion media impressions, according to a report about the weeklong extravaganza that was mounted in Baltimore City and Baltimore County from Ju ne 24 to 30 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. “SAIL250 Maryland Airshow Baltimore generated an estimated $114.5 million in total economic impact across the Baltimore region through visitor spending, tourism activity and supply-chain effects,” according to the executive summary of the report, which was released this week. “The event attracted an estimated 608,148 visits across seven venues, producing significant spending in hotels, restaurants, retail establishments, transportation providers and visitor attractions,” the report stated. “With event expenditures totaling $1.94 million, the SAIL250 Maryland Airshow Baltimore generated an estimated 49:1 economic return on investment, meaning every public and private dollar invested in producing the event generated approximately $49 in economic activity for the local economy. This level of return demonstrates that SAIL250 was not only a nationally significant commemorative event, but also a powerful economic development initiative that stimulated local businesses, increased tourism, and expanded Baltimore’s visibility as a premier destination for large-scale maritime and aviation events.” The multi-site event was presented by Northrup Grumman and produced by the Living Classrooms Foundation, with more than two dozen additional supporters and partners. It combined ship visits, waterfront programming, an airshow and related visitor experiences that drew residents and tourists across Baltimore. In all, 33 vessels participated in the event, including 14 international tall ships that were open for free tours. In addition, four world-renowned military precision aerobatic teams performed at Airshow Baltimore, an unprecedented gathering of elite demonstration teams. Locations for the visiting ships included the Inner Harbor; Fells Point; Baltimore Peninsula; Tide Point and South Harbor. In Baltimore County, Martin State Airport and the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum had Open House events on June 27 and 28 to highlight Maryland’s aviation heritage. The economic impact report was prepared by the Living Classrooms Foundation with support from the Baltimore Development Corporation and others. Here are some of its findings: Of the total 608,148 participants, 85.3 percent were 18 or older and 14.7 percent were under 18. The event generated $83.4 million in direct economic impact and $31.1 million in indirect economic impact. Food and beverage sales had a $31.9 million direct economic impact and a $12.6 million indirect economic impact, for a total impact of $44.5 million. Overnight accommodations had an $18.1 million direct economic impact and a $9.1 million indirect economic impact, for a total impact of $27.2 million. Attractions and entertainment had a $14.4 million direct economic impact and a $3.6 million indirect economic impact, for a total impact of $14 million. Transportation and parking had an $8.1 million direct economic impact and a $2.7 million indirect economic impact, for a total impact of $10.8 million. Event engagement metrics included 297,848 ship visitors; 18,354 app downloads; 16,352 visitors to the temporary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Exploration Zone created inside the Pratt Street Pavilion of Harborplace; 685,501 website visits and more than 3.2 billion media impressions. In terms of visitor profiles, the average group size was three; 73.3 percent of all visitors live outside Baltimore City; the average visit lasted 1.6 days; the average overall satisfaction rate out of 5 was 4.5, and 98 percent would recommend that others attend the event. 916 volunteers contributed 5,316 hours of service. The Open Houses at Martin State Airport drew 18,767 visitors. Given these numbers, “SAIL250 Maryland Airshow Baltimore is the most successful event on the waterfront in the last decade achieved with exceptional levels of public participation and engagement across in-person experiences, educational programming and digital platforms,” the report stated. The full report is available here. ...read more read less