ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has announced that The Enlighten festival has again smashed the record books. This year’s trademark architectural projections, buzzing entertainment precinct and late night openings at 12 national institutions attracted 287,874 people, more than double the 2014 attendance figure of 131,556.
Mr. Barr explained that an estimated 10,434 interstate and international visitors came to the ACT specifically for Enlighten, which represents a significant increase of 97% on the 2014 figure of 5,302. Visitors stayed an average of 1.9 nights and spent an average of $175.29 each day they were in the capital. Barr went on to point out that the event increased the ACT’s Gross Territory Product by $3.72 million and the Total Direct Visitor Expenditure as a result of the people that visited Canberra because of Enlighten was $3.35 million. This represents an increase of 45% on the 2014 figure of $2.3 million.