Economic impact of RPM
For some years the Marathon Canoe Club has had a presumption that the Riverland Paddling Marathons (RPM) significantly impact the local economy in the Riverland area but we had been unable to guess at what that impact might approximate too. This year, however, we prepared a very simple 2 minute survey in an attempt to determine what on average a paddler or a support crew member might spend on accommodation and food at an RPM event.
Nearly 35% of our 2010 RPM participants paddlers completed the inaugural survey and the statistics gained were averaged out over the remaining entrants to provide some idea on the economic impact of the RPM on the Riverland Tourist area.
- Less than 3% of paddlers stayed only 2 nights in the Riverland
- 80% of paddlers stayed 3 nights
- The remaining 17% stayed 4 or 5 nights
- 20% of paddlers had no support or landcrew staying with them (worrying)
- 38% had at least one other person
- However the remaining 42% had between 3 & 7 accompanying persons
- 97.5% of people shopped for food in the Riverland
- With the average food spend per person being $139
- The average accommodation spend per person was $180
The survey revealed that in total the RPM event was the primary reason that approximately 630 people including over 180 paddlers visited the Riverland area over the June long weekend. If the figures above are accurate it would appear that the RPM event has a significant effect on the local Riverland economy to the tune of over $190,000, not including fuel and other incidentals.
