The city's tourism leaders are confident White Night Bendigo will provide strong opportunities for late night businesses to benefit from a major event.
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The state government confirmed on Thursday that White Night Bendigo will go ahead on September 3 after previously being cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
Bendigo Tourism Board chair Kath Bolitho said it was also a chance for businesses to trade at different times to try and grow their revenue.
"The fact it is a night-time event is extremely important for our economy," she said. "It is nice to see things that people will stay overnight for so accommodation businesses can recoup (pandemic losses).
"It's a really good opportunity for businesses to do or try something new, whether it is to be open late at night or offer something (different) to the thousands of people coming to the city."
City of Greater Bendigo tourism and major events manager Terry Karamaloudis said he expected visitors to White Night Bendigo 2022 to rival the 60,000-strong crowd that attended the 2018 event.
"For year one of White Night we planned for 40,000 people. We had logistics set up for that," he said. "We ended up with 60,000, which was a terrific result.
"The popularity of the event and its precedent has been set and we are fully expecting White Night to produce a similar size crowd."
Bendigo mayor Andrea Metcalfe said securing White Night's 2022 dates meant another event in the city's calendar.
"Bendigo is a perfect fit to host the sparkle and spectacle of White Night with our impressive heritage buildings and public spaces," she said. "It further enhances our reputation as a major arts and cultural destination."
Mr Karamaloudis said council was looking at ways to continue increasing Bendigo's night-time events and economy.
"There is more work to do in boosting the night-time economy," he said. "We have plans to see night-time activity increase and White Night is part of that offering.
"Going back to 2018, accommodation was taken up very quickly in that first year (of White Night), so it will be excellent for the accommodation and a great boon for hospitality providers. It's very positive."
Ms Bolitho said the 2018 White Night was well received and something Bendigo Tourism Board members were regularly asked about.
"Our members are behind having another White Night because they saw the impact it had in the city and their bottom lines," she said. "We know it was an incredible economic push.
"I hope the state government use as many local providers as possible to ensure (White Night) is not only creating economic opportunities for the city but also educational and artistic ones too.
"Our ability to provide activations and things for families to do for free is part of what we do (in Bendigo)."
Mr Karamaloudis said his team would be invovled in planning for the event between ow and September.
"It's pretty much same group we worked with for the first White Night," he said. "We are putting the fine tooth comb through the plans and are very excited.
"The crowd dynamics will be interesting (but) whatever (COVID) protocols need to adhere to will be in place."
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