Results of the report - conducted by EconActive for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), owner and operator of the stadium, which was built in 1999 - were unveiled by First Minister Carwyn Jones at the Event Wales international conference in Cardiff, the Welsh capital.

A similar study six years ago had put the venue's then contribution to the Welsh economy at an annual £100 million ($160 million/€120 million).

Jones said that the "thought-provoking" report "reiterates the importance of major events to the economic development and regeneration of host cities and regions and demonstrates the part played by the Millennium Stadium in achieving this".

The Stadium was, he said, "a key component of what Wales has to offer as a host of major events.

"The Stadium has set its sights on attracting high profile events of global importance which have attracted more visitors from outside Wales.

"We look forward to working with the Millennium Stadium as we continue to expand on our exciting portfolio of events which showcases Wales as a contemporary and dynamic nation."

The Millennium Stadium hosted matches for the London 2012 Olympic football tournament ©Getty Images


The average per capita spend of overseas visitors was put at £370 ($604/€442), against £195 ($318/€233) for United Kingdom visitors and £54 ($88/€65) for visitors from Wales.

The research also indicated that more than a quarter of visits to the stadium would involve people from outside the immediate geographic area.

The stadium attracts about 770,000 paying visitors each year to events such as rugby internationals and music concerts; more than 50,000 visit annually for guided tours.

Future high-profile events at the venue include the final of this season's Heineken Cup, European rugby union's premier club competition.

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