Here’s hoping motoring events rev up in 2021
The events industry has been one of the hardest hit during the coronavirus situation.
The Royal Melbourne Show, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra season, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival were all cancelled. Along with them went thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in lost income.
Motoring has been particularly impacted. Two of Melbourne’s marquee events, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and Motorclassica were also called off.
The Supercars racing calendar took a pruning and some events were run without spectators. Hundreds of smaller, but still significant, car club events – like annual concours competitions, circuit racing, and interstate rallies – have all been cancelled.
It’s devastating. But motoring and motorsport enthusiasts are a resilient lot, and they’ll get through this.
We can just about put a line through 2020, but there is always next year, and that looks promising. Keeping in mind that many events – big and small – have been impacted, perhaps you could think about supporting one or two of them in 2021.
With the event cancelled only hours before on-track action was to commence, the Formula One Grand Prix lost revenue on hundreds of thousands of tickets. If it’s on next year, I’m sure to attend.
But that’s an obvious one to support. I’ll also be looking out for some smaller scale events to get along to, like the local car club show ’n shine, or the historic racing at Phillip Island and Sandown. They need supporting too. I hope to see you there.
Words: VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym. As featured in the Herald Sun 4 September 2020.
Share your thoughts! E: ceo@vacc.com.au