One million reasons to celebrate the Australian Open
Published: 29 January 2024Australian Open 2024 has smashed attendance records with one million fans passing through the gates to see some of the world’s best tennis players hit the court, bringing home a win for tennis fans, local jobs and Victoria’s economy.
Breaking 2023’s record numbers, more than one million tennis fans from across Australia and around the world have now attended the 15-day grand slam and the qualifying week.
Broadcast ratings both throughout Australia and around the world are also expected to break records, putting Melbourne on the global stage as a visitor and major events destination.
Enhancements for the 2024 event included the new AO Courtside Bar, a stunning double-storey structure overlooking Court 6 and new shade structures throughout the precinct, providing relief from the heat for tennis fans.
In 2023, the Australian Open saw record attendance with more than 893,000 people streaming through the gates and a further 63,120 attending the qualifying matches during Opening Week bringing total attendances to 902,312 across the 3 weeks.
This record attendance injected more than $387 million to Victoria’s economy.
The Victorian Government invested almost $1 billion in the redevelopment of the world-class Melbourne Park precinct, ensuring the long-term success of the event until at least 2046 in the heart of Melbourne.
This means thousands of fans will continue to flock to Victoria for decades to come – boosting local businesses, jobs and the state’s economy.
The record-breaking Australian Open was the perfect launching pad for the state's new global tourism marketing campaign, 'Every bit different', which is showcasing Victoria to this unprecedented local, national and global audience.
The Australian Open is just one of many blockbuster events on the calendar this year, with highlights including the NGV Triennial, Groundhog Day the Musical, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, the Matildas Olympic Qualifier, and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix all taking place in the first quarter of 2024.
A recent independent study commissioned by Visit Victoria found the major events calendar contributed $3.3 billion in value to the economy and generated more than 15,500 jobs for Victoria every year.