ITM / BWL Bachelor 5. Sem.
8398/8356: Leisure & Event Management II
(Lecture and Seminar):
Introduction to International Event Management
           

Lecture: Different impacts of events
Assignment Presentation and discussion:
Structure and methods of assignment work

Impacts and Benefits

In an events context impacts encompass a variety of positive benefits and negative impacts which might accrue as a result of an event taking place.

These impacts and benefits may be apparent or not apparent before the event takes place, during the event or after the event.

They may be felt by a variety of stakeholders including participants, local businesses and the host community.

An event will affect people in different ways, thus, there may be inequity in the distribution of impacts and benefits.

Impact areas:

• Physical infrastructure

Often cited as a key benefit of major events. This typically encompases transport infrastructure, stadium construction and other new buildings, landscape improvements, housing development, urban renewal etc.

• Environmental impacts

Environmental impacts have become a critical issue in recent years, especially in relation to mega-events.

For instance, the Sydney Olympic Games were the first which called themselves ‘The Green Games’. Beijing Olympic Games have been crititized for instance for the weather manipulation with silver iodide rockets.

The Love Parade left Berlin after several years of discussion about the environmental destruction caused to the Tiergarten and the question of waste management.

• Economic impacts

Direct impacts are more easy to calculate than indirect impacts. Several models exist to quantify both forms.

Example: EURO 2008 Switzerland. Download here

Example Sydney Olympic Games 2000. Download here

• Tourism destination impacts

Increased visitation pre-during-post

destination image enhancement

reduced seasonality etc.

• Image enhancement or disenhancement

Improved visibility of destination / event

Development in both directions possible!

Example: Beijing Olympic Games, Delhi Commonwealth Games

The Independent pointed out that the Delhi Commonwealth Games "have seen the deaths of numerous construction workers, a massive uprooting of the capital's poor and, following allegations of corruption, the Indian Prime Minister stepping in to appoint officials to supervise the project". It said that though $6 billion was being spent, delegates have condemned the athletes' village as "filthy, unhygienic and unfit for human habitation".

Safety fears intensified when a section of the ceiling on a weightlifting arena fell to the ground. On Tuesday, a pedestrian footbridge collapsed, injuring 27 workers.

The use of child labour has been a steady concern throughout the project. Child labourers were photographed putting up seats in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main Games venue. Many work alongside their labourer parents who are paid as little as 3 pounds per day. The photographer who captured children at work had his accreditation rescinded and a camera wiped by officials."  
The Independent article ended by saying: "The most galling thing for the Indians is the contrast this provides with China, which used the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a giant coming-out party, proving that it could beat the West at its own sports. The tragedy for India is that the world will conclude that this is another area where India cannot match its Asian rival."

• Social and cultural impacts

Depending on the event management can be positive or negative:

Building community pride - destroying communities

Revitalizing traditions - McDonaldisation

• Political impacts

"Bread and Games" in Rome

Nicolo Machiavelli: Il Principe

Social Cohesion - or misallocation of funds

Legacy and Leverage

The legacy is the actual impacts for the host destination of holding the event and is usually conceptualized as the positive benefits rather than the negative impacts that might arise.

The legacy is commonly thought of in terms of tangible benefits such as physical infrastructure or new jobs. However, there may be other intangible benefits:

“Regardless of the actual form that a legacy may take, the idea underlying legacy creation is that it represents something of substance that will enhance the long-term well-being or lifestyle of destination residents in a very substantial manner — preferably in a way that reflects the values of the local population.”  (Ritchie 2000:156)

Leverage on the other hand, is about getting the best possible benefits from the event. Chalip (2004:228) defines leveraging as:

“the processes through which the benefits of investments are maximized.”

Leveraging can relate to aspects

around the actual event (eg visitor spending, utilization of local supply chains)

or

the long term benefits both before and after the event has taken place (eg destination image).

  Contact: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS
Bachelor and Master Program International Tourism Management
arlt@fh-westkueste.de, Office 2.018, Tel. 0481 8555-513
Consultation hours (during lecture period): Mo. 16.00-17.00 h