In 2021, Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix for the first time in 36 years, with the sell-out crowd witnessing a dominant victory for the homegrown hero, Max Verstappen. Now the Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) has completed a scientific study into the economic, social, and societal impact of the event, with hugely positive results.

Positive economic impact

The Dutch Grand Prix led to €22.3 million in additional spending in Zandvoort and €44.5 million in additional spending in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region (including Zandvoort). Additional spending is the total spending minus the amount that visitors or organizers would spend anyway in that period, in the region. 

The added economic value that is created is respectively €8.9 million for Zandvoort and €23.2 million for the MRA region (including Zandvoort). This added value is calculated by the researchers based on a percentage of the additional spending, minus the turnover in ticket sales.

The employment linked to event is 244 jobs in Zandvoort and 498 jobs in the MRA region (including Zandvoort). 

It is worthwhile mentioning that these figures, even with 2/3 of the total capacity enforced because of the pandemic, are higher than the predictions from a 2017 study. 

Some more figures from the BUas report:

• 126,650 visitors (including VIPs and invitees) made a combined 195,000 visits, measured over the three event days of the Dutch Grand Prix 2021
• Visitors have visited the DGP on average 1,5 days
• 19% of visitors are from the MRA (of which 3% from Zandvoort, 77% from the rest of the Netherlands and 4% from abroad)
• 87% of visitors are additional and would not have been in Zandvoort if the event had not taken place
• 26% of all DGP visitors stay overnight in the MRA region. Together this leads to €7.6 million in overnight spending in the MRA region, of which €2.7 million is spent in Zandvoort.

Positive social impact

Residents, entrepreneurs and visitors are very positive about how they experienced the event. 

Residents

82.4% of residents think they will remember the event for a long time, 87.2% were impressed by it and 88.1% say they enjoyed it; 88.9% say the event positively surprised them. 

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs in Zandvoort were asked to rate the atmosphere in the village and in their businesses, and they gave an average mark of 8.7 for the atmosphere in the village (with a 10 being the most given mark), and an 8.4 for the atmosphere in their own company during the race weekend. 

Visitors

The visitors of Zandvoort are fairly unanimous about the good atmosphere: 93% agree or fully agree with the statement ‘there is a good atmosphere in the village’, whilst 92% of the visitors felt welcome. The visitors to the circuit are also very satisfied with the atmosphere, rating it on average at 8.9. It is clear that visitors had a memorable day ou, with the ‘atmosphere, the ‘experience’ and wanting to return found regularly in the comments.

Zandvoort easily accessible

The ambitious mobility plan of the Dutch Grand Prix has resulted in more than expected positive figures regarding the sustainability requirements. The goal was to be a car-free event in three years, something that, with less than 5% of the visitors coming by car to their destination, was already largely achieved in 2021. Due to this distribution of the various means of transport, the event remained easily accessible, and the inflow and outflow went smoothly.

The above results and many more from this study were published on 26 January here.