The biggest choral music event the country has ever hosted, the World Choir Games 2024 (WCG2024), contributed nearly $20M in national tourism expenditure to the country, new research has found.

From 10 to 20 July this year, the 13th World Choir Games (WCG), presented in partnership with the global organising body INTERKULTUR and local partners New Zealand Choral Federation, New Zealand Major Events, and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, brought Tāmaki Makaurau alive with song. Over 11,000 singers in 250 choirs and groups from over 42 countries descended on the city to perform over the 11 days, while an audience of 25,000 enjoyed the many ceremonies, competition sessions and concerts held across the region.

According to event evaluation experts Fresh Info, the tourism impacts of the WCG2024 were well above average compared with other events it has evaluated. The Games attracted 9,395 visitors to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, generating 61,586 visitor nights and $14.5M of tourism expenditure in the region. At a national level, the event attracted 8,310 international visitors to the country, generating 81,676 international visitor nights and $19.9M of international visitor expenditure.

WCG2024 Executive Director Kylie Sealy says, “The research also shows that 92% of New Zealanders believe hosting events like the World Choir Games makes New Zealand a more enjoyable place to live. While we and the 400+ team who helped pull this incredible event together know how wonderful it was for both participants and audiences, these figures confirm the significant impact that major arts and cultural events have on our communities and our country."

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill is delighted at the stellar boost the local economy received. “The event exceeded our expectations in driving winter visitation to Tāmaki Makaurau and provided a significant boost to Auckland’s economy. It was truly a celebration of community and creativity, showcasing the best of Auckland to the world and proving again the value of events to our region. The journey to host the World Choir Games began in 2020, and witnessing our region come alive with song over the eleven days was nothing short of magical. Our rich Māori and Pasifika cultures were beautifully woven throughout the Games, with world-class opening and closing ceremonies at Spark Arena and a special celebration of Matariki.”

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Major Events Manager, Kylie Hawker-Green says, “It was incredible to see so many singers from across the world descend on Tāmaki Makaurau for the first event of its kind in Aotearoa. We supported the World Choir Games through the Major Events Fund because of the broader social and cultural benefits it would bring to the city and our country. It’s clear that the event had the desired impact in these areas with so many New Zealanders engaging in the event, and our own culture and choral talent being showcased to the world.”

Held every two years, the Games was established in 2000 by INTERKULTUR and has become the largest international choral competition and festival in the world. Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR and the World Choir Games, says, “2024 has been a milestone year for the World Choir Games, standing out as one of the most successful and memorable events in our history. It was an honor to witness such an inspiring display of international and cultural unity. Alongside the World Choir Games Project Director Jelena Dannhauer, who shares these sentiments, and the entire INTERKULTUR Organising Committee, I extend our deepest gratitude to our partners in Auckland and New Zealand, as well as to the international choral family, for their incredible support and engagement. Their contributions made it possible to bring singers from all parts of the world together on yet another continent, leading to the great success of this event. This year’s World Choir Games powerfully brought INTERKULTUR’s mission to life: Singing together brings nations together.”

The Games also provided a unique opportunity for local singers to experience the choirs and choral styles of many other countries. And they took the opportunity, with 2,629 New Zealand singers registering to participate at the Games and another 1,165 local performers taking part in its wider artistic programme.

WCG2024 Artistic and Games Director John Rosser says, “Our twofold ambition in hosting the Games was to put in front of New Zealand choirs and audiences the vast richness and diversity of the choral world, while at the same time sharing this country’s musical and cultural traditions with our international guests. Both aims were achieved in a more complete and satisfying way than we could ever have imagined.”

New Zealand Choral Federation Chief Executive Christine Argyle says, “The impact on the New Zealand choral sector has been profound. Our singers and choir directors have come away from the Games energised by the skills they’ve honed, the international relationships they’ve built, and the immense pride they’ve gained from showcasing Aotearoa on the world stage. We believe the benefits will reverberate for years to come.”

At WCG20024, a total of 21 Category Winners in the ‘Open Competition’ and 24 WCG Champions in the ‘Champions Competition’ were announced, while 150 Open diplomas and 131 Champions medals were presented. China received the most medals with 63, followed by the USA (17), New Zealand (13), Australia (6), Denmark (4), Indonesia (4), Croatia (3), and Austria, Great Britain and India with 2 each. Full results are here.