World Youth Day expected to pump $146 million into Spanish economy

Madrid, Spain, Jun 8, 2011 / 16:06 pm

Tax payers in Spain will not be footing the bill for World Youth Day 2011, as organizers estimate the events in Madrid that week will pump $146 million into the Spanish economy.
 
Fernando Gimenez Barriocanal, World Youth Day's finance manager reported that of the $146 million expected to be generated, “nearly $73 million will come from abroad and will remain in Spain.” 

Gimenez went on to say that 90 percent of the contracts for the events have gone to Spanish companies through a public bidding system.

The event's organizers are now focused on increasing registration, especially among young people in Spain, by reminding them that a portion of their registration fees will go to a special fund to help young people from poorer countries attend the event. So far some $1.1 million has gone into the fund, and organizers expect it to reach $2 million.
 
The World Youth Day office in Madrid has also produced two new videos in order to draw more young Spaniards. The videos were created under the theme: “Some trains pass by only once in life.”

“What we want with this campaign is to convey metaphorically the contrast between traveling alone in this life versus the possibility of sharing and enjoying this journey with other people,” Gabriel Gonzalez-Andrio, the event's director of marketing, explained.

The event will be held August 16 - 21 in Madrid, Spain.