WOMADelaide 2023 attracted record breaking attendances of 110,000

WOMADelaide returned in 2023 with over 700 artists and record-breaking attendances over the March festival weekend held in Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla.

Audiences and artists from around the world reunited to celebrate the joy of music arts and dance with the 2023 program having featured one of the biggest and most diverse line-ups presented in the event’s 31-year history.  

Ian Scobie Director WOMADelaide shared “WOMADelaide is a tangible experience, it’s a pilgrimage for artists and audiences from around the world to experience the vibrancy of Adelaide’s festival season that so beautifully showcases the State’s riches of lifestyle, culture and diversity in Australia’s only ‘UNESCO City of Music’.

“We couldn’t be more delighted to see the growth in audience numbers and visitation into South Australia particularly after the challenges experienced since 2020.

“To be the first ever cultural event to assist in breaking Adelaide’s long standing room occupancy record, now the second highest on record, speaks directly to the benefits cultural festivals and events play within the state’s economic ecosystem.”

Performances from artists included AURORA, Bon Iver, Fantastic Negrito, Florence + The Machine, The Proclaimers, Sampa The Great, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Soul II Soul, Youssou N’Dour and the spectacular Gratte Ciel’s Place des Anges.

Key highlights:

• The event sold out on three of the four days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) prior to opening with record breaking attendances of 110,000.

• WOMADelaide reported the highest ever total economic impact of $35.1 million for March 2023, a record number of first-time attendees and the highest ever number of visitors to the state for the event.

• 52% of total audiences were visitors to Adelaide, spending an average of $2,729.

• Average visitor length of stay in South Australia was 5.26 nights.

• 110,777 visitor bed nights.

• 21,308 visitors to the state.

• WOMADelaide Saturday broke Adelaide’s CBD room occupancy record with the number of rooms sold in CBD hotels on Saturday 12th March - the second highest on record.

• 73% of visitors dispersed to the regions across their duration of stay.

• 93% of visitors to the state indicated that attending WOMADelaide was the main purpose of their visit.

• The event created direct employment of 303 FT equivalent.

• It is estimated the event also has associated expenditure (in gross terms) of $49.9 million in total throughout the economy.

Ian Scobie Director WOMADelaide shared “WOMADelaide is a tangible experience, it’s a pilgrimage for artists and audiences from around the world to experience the vibrancy of Adelaide’s festival season that so beautifully showcases the State’s riches of lifestyle, culture and diversity in Australia’s only ‘UNESCO City of Music’.

“We couldn’t be more delighted to see the growth in audience numbers and visitation into South Australia particularly after the challenges experienced since 2020.

“To be the first ever cultural event to assist in breaking Adelaide’s long standing room occupancy record, now the second highest on record, speaks directly to the benefits cultural festivals and events play within the state’s economic ecosystem.”

Image. Credit: WOMADelaide