THIS weekend’s Sea Odyssey spectacular, which put Liverpool on the world stage, is expected to net the city’s economy in excess of the £12m estimated by organisers.
Half a million visitors from Merseyside and beyond flocked to the three-day street theatre extravaganza – twice the number predicted.
Restaurants, shops and hotels were among the businesses to benefit from the feelgood factor with hotel bookings up by 12% compared to the same weekend last year.
And pub bosses said weekend showers boosted business further as visitors following the three giants around the city centre looked for shelter.
More than 100 journalists applied for media accreditation for the city’s biggest-ever outdoor event, and pictures were beamed worldwide.
Organisers said the people of Liverpool had taken the puppets – a 30ft Little Girl, her 50ft uncle and Xolo, the 9ft dog – to their hearts.
Devised by French street theatre company Royal de Luxe and inspired by the Titanic disaster, Sea Odyssey told the story of a Little Girl Giant who comes to Liverpool searching for news of her father – a stowaway who died on the ship.
Cllr Wendy Simon, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for culture, said: “It’s been a fantastic event which brought an amazing turnout from the people of Liverpool.
“People from all across the country also came to see the giants.
“The atmosphere across the city has been brilliant and people have really welcomed these giants into Liverpool and into their hearts.”
Tracy Leigh, manager of the Pumphouse Inn, at the Albert Dock, said: “The weather was awful at times and it definitely brought more people in.”
Liverpool City Council said early figures showed around 500,000 people came into the city over the weekend.
In contrast, the city’s last major street theatre event – La Machine’s spider La Princesse, which roamed the streets during Capital of Culture year in 2008 – attracted around 200,000.
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