Island Games boosted Orkney's economy by £4m

The 20th International Island Games held in Orkney this summer boosted the local economy by £4m, a report has confirmed.

The event, held over six days in July, cost £3.6m to stage and involved 1,630 athletes from 24 island communities. They competed in 12 sports.

It was the largest event ever hosted by the Orkney community of 22,000 people and involved 1,027 local volunteers.

Orkney made history as the smallest island to have hosted the Games, welcoming a record number of visitors for a single event - a total attendance of at least 63,336.

The report, compiled by Robert Gordon University, also revealed that 40% of spectators came from outside the UK, £2.5m was spent with Orkney suppliers and the island's sports facilities got a £1.6m upgrade.

Organisers said the report should give other small communities confidence to put on large events.

Gordon Deans, chairman of Orkney 2025, said: "From the very beginning, our vision for Orkney's Island Games was built on solid foundations - committed sports partners, strong financial governance, realistic goals, and community-wide involvement.

"Our aim was always to ensure the Games delivered maximum impact and lasting benefits for the people and businesses of Orkney.

"It's incredibly rewarding to see this report reflect, through both data and surveys, what everyone felt throughout the week; that the Games were a resounding success on every level."

He praised the "tireless dedication" of the "incredible volunteers", and the "boundless enthusiasm of communities across our Islands".

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said the event was an "incredible success story".

He added: "I attended and witnessed first-hand how the locals embraced the spirit of the games, which brought an increased interest in sport.

"But the £4m boost to the economy and the further investment in new equipment and facilities will benefit generations to come.

"This was not only about showcasing the hospitality and beauty of Scotland's islands to the world, but about leaving a legacy from those who came together to make it happen."

Graham Bevan, Orkney Islands Council convener, said the Games had "surpassed all expectations" and would "live long in our memories".

"The report highlights the range of positive economic and social impacts that the Games brought to our islands, and we welcome the findings," he added.

Economic impact:

• The Games contributed £4,335,696 and £3,057,479 to the Orkney and Scotland economy respectively, through participant and spectator spending
• A total of 4,369 unique spectators travelled to Orkney for the event, with 48% from Scotland, 10% from the rest of the UK, and 42% international

Sporting legacy:

• Investment of £1.6m in new equipment and facilities – including a new athletics track, upgraded golf courses, and gymnastics equipment

Volunteers:

• 1,027 volunteers contributed more than 21,000 hours, equating to £250,000 in-kind support. Of those surveyed, 99% rated their experience positively, and 83% said they would volunteer again at a local event

Spectator engagement:

• The Games drew a total attendance of at least 63,336, with an average of 4.8 days attended per spectator and 1.7 venues visited per day

Media and social media coverage:

• There were 117 accredited media at the event
• There were 97 print articles, 224 TV items, 857 radio items and 719 online pieces of coverage in the run-up to the Games and during Games week
• The Games attracted more than 580,000 livestream views and 4,000 channel subscribers with 84,900 hours spent watching the event

Athletic achievement:

• There were 26 Island Games records broken across the 12 sports
• The Faroe Islands led the medal table with 41 gold, 31 silver, and 23 bronze medals, followed closely by Jersey
• Orkney achieved a haul of 31 medals