A staggering £12.5m was brought into Clalderdale Council thanks to last year’s Tour de France, a new report has revealed.
The figures, released by Calderdale Council, show that £2.8 million was spent on accommodation, including hotels and B&B’s, whilst a further £9.3 million was spent by visitors during the event.
The research by Welcome to Yorkshire examined the economic and social impact of the Tour, which travelled through Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Ripponden and Greetland as part of Stage 2 of the race on Sunday 6 July 2014.
An additional £200,000 was brought into the area by the Yorkshire Festival, which attracted visitors to view and participate in an extensive arts and cultural events programme in the 100 day build up to the Grand Depart.
A survey of spectators revealed that 44%, or an estimated 130,000 people in Calderdale, felt inspired by the Tour to cycle more, and a quarter of those who never cycle said they felt encouraged to take up the hobby.
Support for the event locally was also overwhelming with 91% of residents agreeing that the Tour had been good for the area.
The statistics showed that 340,000 people watched the race as it traveled through Calderdale, with an estimated 160,000 spectators travelling into to the area to wittness the event.
Calderdale Council’s Leader, Coun Stephen Baines said: “I’m delighted by these findings, which show the clear benefits that participation in the Tour de France brought to Calderdale.
“This can be measured both in terms of the immediate impact on our local economy and, in the longer term, the legacy.
“We know there are keen cyclists who will want to tackle the challenges of the route themselves this summer. There are also spectators and viewers who will want to explore our beautiful landscapes and quirky towns, bringing lasting benefits for our tourism industry.”