CHIO Rotterdam once again highly rated by visitors
The 77th edition of CHIO Rotterdam, held from June 18 to 21 in the Rotterdam Arena in the Kralingse Bos, has once again been evaluated very positively by visitors. Audience research conducted by R2 Research in collaboration with Rotterdam Topsport shows that the event scored an average of 8.1. The location (8.9), atmosphere (8.5), and programme (8.2) were particularly rated highly. The organization also received great marks once again.
A broad and engaged audience
The research shows that CHIO Rotterdam continues to draw a broad audience. Nearly four out of ten visitors are younger than 19 years old and almost three-quarters of the visitors are female. Furthermore, involvement in equestrian sports is high: 62% of visitors are active in equestrian sports themselves, a slight increase compared to last year.
The way visitors discover CHIO is also changing. 28% of visitors came into contact with the event through friends, family, or acquaintances, compared to 19% last year. As a result, word-of-mouth advertising is growing into an increasingly important way for new visitors to find CHIO. At the same time, the event's own communication channels remain a major source of awareness.
Strong image for Rotterdam
This year, CHIO Rotterdam once again contributes to the sporty image of the city. 74% of visitors feel that the event shows that Rotterdam embraces sports talent. In addition, 68% experience Rotterdam as a hospitable city and see 56% the city as a place where collaboration takes place and new initiatives emerge. Moreover, 77% of visitors have previously visited other top sports events in Rotterdam, which underlines Rotterdam's strong position as a sports city.
Michael Zijlaard, Director of Rotterdam Topsport: "CHIO Rotterdam is a prime example of how top-level sports add value to the city. The combination of top-level sports, a unique location, and an engaged audience makes this event special. It is great to see that visitors also experience that value and explicitly connect CHIO to Rotterdam as a sports city."
High engagement and valuable feedback
Visitors are not only satisfied, but also willing to recommend the event. Furthermore, visitor feedback provides starting points for further improving the event, particularly regarding the price-quality ratio.
Carolien Lavooij, Chair of CHIO Rotterdam: "We are proud that visitors once again highly appreciate the unique atmosphere, location, and program. The results show that CHIO Rotterdam is an event people love to return to. At the same time, we take visitor suggestions seriously; they help us develop the event further every year."
Thanks to visitors
The organization of CHIO Rotterdam thanks all visitors who participated in the survey. Their opinion is of great value and forms the basis for further strengthening the event in the coming years.