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ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND - The American Bus Association (ABA) has selected the Volvo Ocean Race as one of its Top 100 Events in North America for 2006. Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau Director of Sales Joyce Stinnett Baki nominated the event that will kick off in Vigo, Spain on November 12 and arrive in Annapolis just in time for the May 4-7, 2006 Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival at City Dock.
ABA President and CEO Peter Pantuso says the Volvo Ocean Race was selected because it offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world. The attractiveness of the Volvo Ocean Race as a don't miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. The real news here is that the event has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor boosts Annapolis and Anne Arundel County's visibility with professional tour planners.
A study recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University shows that a single motorcoach group spending one night can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in a local destination's economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admission fees, shopping, souvenirs, services, and local taxes. As Pantuso sees it, "Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer. That's why the Volvo Ocean Race is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."
Baltimore/Annapolis is the only official U.S. stopover for the international competition that includes stops in Cape Town, South Africa; Melbourne, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Portsmouth, England; and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Leg five of the race is expected to wrap up in Baltimore on April 17, with a Parade of Sail to Annapolis on May 4. Leg six will depart from Annapolis on May 7. Seven boats from the Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Spain, and the United States will be competing in the race that will cover 31,250 nautical miles before its expected completion in Gothenburg on June 16, 2006.
Farr Yacht Designs in Annapolis designed Spain's, Sweden's, and Brazil's entries as well
as the U.S. boat, The Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean. 2006 marks the third time that the Volvo Ocean Race has come to Annapolis. It first visited Maryland's capital city in 1998 as the Whitbread Around the World Race. It returned to Annapolis in 2002.
ABA's Top 100 list is published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine. A panel of ABA-member tour planners and motorcoach operators selected the Volvo Ocean Race from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and visitors bureaus. Among other things, judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches, and skill at handling large groups.
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