The Under-18 Baseball World Cup helped break a visitor record at Thunder Bay Airport ©WBSC

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has announced that last month's Under-18 Baseball World Cup helped break a passenger record at Thunder Bay International Airport.

More than 81,000 people passed through the airport in the Canadian city at the end of August - breaking the record for monthly visitors.

This number was boosted by international teams and fans who arrived for the World Cup, which then got underway in September and was eventually won by United States. 

Thunder Bay, which has a total metropolitan population only in the region of 120,000, hosted the competition at the Baseball Central venue and Port Arthur Stadium. 

The WBSC have predicted that a future report will reveal a multi-million Canadian dollar boost for both Thunder Bay and the Province of Ontario.

The United States won the tournament in Thunder Bay ©WBSC
The United States won the tournament in Thunder Bay ©WBSC

"WBSC welcomes this glowing report and congratulates the Thunder Bay International Airport, the city of Thunder Bay and the Province of Ontario for their successful leveraging of the Under-18 Baseball World Cup," WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said.

"International baseball properties like the Baseball World Cups continue to be an increasingly powerful vehicle for stimulating local economic activity for our hosts and global exposure for our sponsorship partners."

The US beat South Korea 8-0 in the final, winning the tournament for the fourth time in a row.