Sport brings Salzburg billions
When Salzburg’s athletes win medals and crystal balls like Marcel Hirscher used to, it not only makes the residents proud, but sport is much more for the state.
A recently published study now shows how important it is for the economy.
Added value worth billions
The study commissioned by the state shows that sport adds value of around four billion euros in the broadest sense.
The study sheds light on the economic effects across all sectors and has made visible the hitherto greatly underestimated importance for the residents and companies in the state in terms of economic power, employment and tax revenue.
4.6 million hours of volunteer work
“Every seventh euro that is generated in Salzburg is geared towards sport,” explains Provincial Councilor Stefan Schnöll. Accommodation and gastronomy in particular would benefit from this.
“Major events, winter and summer tourism in combination with skiing and cycling tourism generate 1.5 billion euros in the state.” 4.6 million hours of voluntary work are done annually in Salzburg’s sports clubs, “which is equivalent to 112.5 million euros corresponds,” says Schnöll.
“Sport country par excellence”
What is also special in Salzburg is the share of sport in the gross regional product, which is well above twice the Austrian average.
Salzburg is a “sports country par excellence”, explains study director Christian Helmenstein from SportsEconAustria. “This is related, among all others, to the highly professional ski areas, the role of the sporting goods retail trade and the special position of Red Bull in the country.”
Sport creates 55,000 jobs
The employment effect of sport in Salzburg also becomes particularly clear in the study. 55,000 jobs, of which 78 percent are full-time jobs, depend on this industry and thus every sixth job in the province of Salzburg.
These exhibitions can be found primarily in accommodation, gastronomy and retail, but also in education and teaching.
Over a billion euros in taxes
As a result, the tax effects of sport are of course very significant. In total, that’s 1.4 billion euros. Almost half of this is wage-related and almost a quarter is sales tax.
Around 56.4 million euros of this end up directly in Salzburg, divided between the revenue share of the state (10.7 million euros), revenue share of the municipalities (9.7 million euros) and municipal tax (36 million euros).