Visit Sunshine Coast and Sunshine Coast Council have unveiled a campaign to position the Sunshine Coast as the regional capital of major events.

“The World is Coming…” promotional campaign, will showcase the massive calendar of events coming to the Sunshine Coast in 2016 and into 2017, the 50th anniversary of the naming of the Sunshine Coast.

Over the next year, the Sunshine Coast is scheduled to host 60 major sporting, music and lifestyle events, estimated to attract 150,000 visitors from over 40 countries and contribute about $100 million to the region’s economy – almost double last year’s figures.

“This year the Sunshine Coast is set to host the largest ever portfolio of events held in the region,” said CEO of Visit Sunshine Coast, Simon Ambrose.

“World-class sporting events such as the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and World Outrigger Sprint Championships will place the focus on the Sunshine Coast’s magnificent aquatic attractions, while the Queensland Garden Expo, Caloundra Music Festival, Maroochy Music and Visual Arts Festival, Wanderlust, and a new-format Noosa Food and Wine Festival, will highlight the diversity of our events calendar.

“Research shows that 69 per cent of people who come to a destination for an event return for a holiday, so events and meetings are a fundamental component of the Sunshine Coast’s tourism growth strategy,” said Ambrose.

Major events for this year include Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival (11-13 March), Australian Surf Life Saving Championships (16-24 April), Va’a World Outrigger Sprint Championships (5-15 May), Queensland Garden Expo (8-10 July), Ironman 70.3 World Championships (4 September), Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games (8-15 October) and Caloundra Music Festival (30 September-3 October), as well as 10 scheduled cruise ship visits.