No Shortage of Fans for Games
19 August 1997Sydneysiders are as keen as ever on the Olympics, with a survey released on Tuesday showing that almost three out of four of the city's residents plan to attend the 2000 Games.
The Australia-wide poll of 1,500 people also found that about one-third of people living outside the New South Wales state capital would like to travel to Sydney to see the Olympics first hand. The survey found 73 percent of Sydney residents want to watch the Games in person and 31 percent of non-Sydney respondents said they would travel to Australia's largest city to watch events.
"We're delighted that one in three Australians want to be here," John Moore, marketing director for Games organisers SOCOG, told reporters. Interest in attending the Games was higher among males than females, while overcrowding was the most common reason given by people who said they would stay away.
The influx of out-of-town visitors was unlikely to provide a major boost for hotels, however, as the survey found only 18 percent of non-Sydney respondents planned to stay in hotels. Most said they would stay with relatives or friends. Over 40 percent of Sydney respondents said they expected to host friends or relatives during the Games between September 15 and October 1, 2000.
