By David Klassen
Winnipeg’s Special Event Tourism Fund (SETF) has yielded strong economic returns for the city, according to data released Friday by Tourism Winnipeg.
The fund, established in 2008, was created to attract world-class sporting events, special events and conventions to the city.
The economic spin-off associated with the fund in the past four years has been estimated at $39.5 million.
Tourism Winnipeg says events such as the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup prove the city is attracting high calibre events.
“With the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Journey to Churchill and the expansion of the Winnipeg Convention Centre on the horizon, this fund further allows us to help bring the world to Winnipeg and builds on that momentum,” said Mayor Sam Katz.
Future planned events supported by the SETF include:
- Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Convention, August 2013
- Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings Olympic Curling Trials, December 2013
- Canadian Amateur Men’s Golf Championships, August 2014
- GoMedia Canada Marketplace, August 2014
- Mennonite Economic Development Associates, November 2014
- Aboriginal Financial Officers, February 2015
- Women’s FIFA World Cup, June 2015
- Canadian Paediatric Society, June 2015
- The Wildlife Society, October 2015
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 2016
