Brandon University attracts casual visitors, and student, faculty and staff visitors as well as those who attend sports, music, theatre, convocation, homecoming and other events. Visitor numbers were collated from the Healthy Living Centre (hlc), School of Music, Homecoming Event, Evans Theatre and Convocation. However, there are also other visitors coming to Brandon specifically to visit students and faculty and staff.

The Sudmant Method of estimating visitor numbers is to multiply student numbers by 8, if a University does not possess visitor data. This method underestimates visitors to Brandon University. To calculate visitor numbers reflective of Brandon University, the visitors were divided into three categories (casual visitors, visitors to events, hlc visitors) (Table 5). The estimated spending for visitors for each category was calculated using per diem spending suggested by 2014 Western Manitoba Tourism Statistics (Travel Manitoba, 2016). A one-night stay was considered the norm for visitors to Brandon (Tourism Manitoba, 2016).

Table 5. Visitors to Brandon University Educational, Arts and Sports Events

The hlc forms a hub for the city, as the largest facilities for holding court sporting events. The hlc hosts the majority of the varsity sports events on campus, with a capacity of up to 2,000 people, as well as numerous high school tournaments. In addition, in 2016, Brandon University hosted the CIS Women’s Volleyball National Championship from March 11^th to 13^th with 7,000 spectators at the games at the hlc. Convocation with more than 500 graduates and their guests, is also held at the hlc.  Other events do occur throughout the University at various smaller venues and make up the remainder of the onsite visitors. Because of the proximity of the campus to the Brandon downtown core, restaurants, hotels, and shopping districts Brandon businesses benefit from these additional visitors.

Brandon University drew an additional 49,670 visitors into the City in 2014/2015. The direct spending of visitors per year, calculated using Tourism Manitoba per diem spending is $10.5 million. This results in a total economic impact of $15.7 million once the multiplier of 1.5 is applied.