The City of Basel excelled in the best of ways last May when it hosted the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest has proven to be a successful story for Basel both financially and sustainably.
Basel welcomed the Eurovision bandwagon with all its glitz, glam tand glitter last May. The city embrassed the Eurovision Song Contest in the best of ways receiving the competing acts, delegations, journalists and Eurovision fans with open arms. Overall everyone who visited Basel for Eurovision was impressed with Basel’s warm and friendly hospitability.
Basel had the grand honour of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for the very first time, it was the third time that Switzerland hosted the competition.
The Eurovision Song Contest put Basel on the global map, with all eyes set on the Swiss city during the 2 Eurovision weeks. Basel organized a spectacular show and dressed up for the event welcoming Eurovision fans from far and away!
- 95% of the visitors were satistied with Basel’s Eurovision hosting
- The Eurovision Song Contest generated 248 million Swiss francs in revenue across Switzerland
- The event 53 million Swiss francs to the Basel region in added value
- Basel was mentioned more than 313,000 times in the media in connection to the ESC
- 78% of the visitors travelled to the host city and St.Jakobshalle via public transport or non motorised means.
- 91% of visitors in Basel travelled via public transport
- Circa 500,000 visitors travelled to Basel for the ESC 2025
- 96% of the visitors felt safe in Basel during the ESC 2025
A survey was carried out with more than 2,000 people on site whilst data from the event venues was analysed.
Eurovision’s report reads:
The survey results confirm the impression that one might have gotten from attending event week: overall satisfaction with attending the Contest in Basel reached an excellent 95 per cent. 92 per cent of visitors gained a positive impression of Basel as a leisure destination. 95 per cent of visitors from outside the region said they would recommend Basel. And 85 per cent indicated they intend to visit again in the coming years.
Basel received great international mediatic exposure thanks to hosting the ESC 2025.
Eurovision’s report reads:
Over the course of nearly a year, Basel was mentioned more than 313,000 times in various media in connection with the Eurovision Song Contest. The largely positive coverage was driven mainly by online articles highlighting Basel’s architectural cityscape, cultural heritage and preparations for the event. After the Contest, reporting increasingly focused on the successful staging of the contest. Basel was thereby able to position itself effectively as a cultural and music destination.
Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 was both a win-win project both for Base and Switzerland when it comes to financial revenues and profitability
Eurovision’s report reads:
The Eurovision Song Contest generated 248 million Swiss francs in revenue in Switzerland, including 110 million francs in the Basel region. The total added value created by the event amounts to 115 million francs, of which 53 million francs accrued in the Basel region. The goal of achieving strong regional value creation was therefore met. 61 per cent of the services procured by Host City Basel came from companies in the Basel region.
The ESC 2025 proved to be a sustainable event, 78% of the visitors travelled to the host city and St.Jakobshalle via public transport or non motorised means. Whilst 91% of visitors in Basel travelled via public transport.
Eurovision’s report reads:
As a major event with around 500,000 visitors, the Eurovision Song Contest provided an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of sustainability issues. Many of the measures implemented – such as accessibility, waste separation and recycling – were demonstrably noticed and positively rated by the public and participants. Repeated recommendations to travel by public transport were also heeded: 78 per cent of visitors travelled to Basel and the event venue using public transport or non-motorised means. Within Basel, the figure was even higher, at 91 per cent.
The ESC 2025 showcased Basel as a safe, inclusive and responsible host city.
Eurovision’s report reads:
The Canton of Basel-Stadt aimed to host an inclusive, safe and socially responsible event. Accordingly, great emphasis was placed on accessibility and awareness concepts. 96 per cent of visitors reported feeling safe. Many of the offerings were available free of charge to the general public. The Eurovision Song Contest therefore became an unforgettable celebration for the entire population and gave Basel a unique opportunity to present itself to a global audience as an open and inclusive host.
All in all, Basel excelled with flying colours as a Eurovision host city, ESC fans were mesmerised with the way city embraced the competition and opened its arms to the whole world!
