Birmingham leaders look to build on Commonwealth Games momentum

Birmingham is expecting a surge of tourists over the summer after the city’s reputation received a boost from the Commonwealth Games, business leaders said as the 11-day event came to a close last night.

- Jessica Murray

It has been heralded as a roaring success for the city with more than 1.5m tickets sold, putting it on track to be one of the most successful Commonwealth Games in history.

“I can categorically say this will be the busiest August that Birmingham has ever enjoyed,” said Neil Rami, the chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company. “You just have to see the throngs of people in the streets. We were forecasting about 85% hotel occupancy, but talking to some hotel managers it’s nearer 95%, so we’re pretty much full.”

Leaders are determined to use the momentum from the Games to put the city forward for other major events. Yesterday the sports minister, Nigel Huddleston, suggested it could be a future Olympic host city.

“One of the elements of legacy is thinking about how we can use the facilities and the experience to bid for other major international sporting events, and I don’t think it’s an unrealistic ambition to say the Olympics could be one of them,” he said.