Tourism and sport alone, are two of the most thriving leisure activities that people enjoy today. Sport tourism has become it's own specialized market, and together provide the opportunity of major financial growth and sustainability (Gibson, n.d.). Hosting a megaevent, is a key tactic in promoting not only the sport, but the city that it resides in. Both risky and profitable, we will further investigate hosting and its components, as well as, sport tourism as a whole. Sport tourism like any market, continues to change and evolve based on internal and external forces.
Playing Host in Sport Tourism
The Power of Playing Host is an article that I found that closely relates to chapter seven from our text book. The article sheds light on sport tourism today, as well as, how to win by hosting, how to score points while doing so, and the key factors in building and engineering success once sport tourism has been implemented (Mendiratta, 2010). Overall, according to Mandiratta (2010), if done properly, becoming a host to a megaevent can result in tremendous gain for the location, followed by a new found legacy within their tourism sector.
Gibson ( n.d. , p. 143) claims, that sport tourism has five themes; time, space, motivation, form of activity, and behavior. Affecting and impacting these themes, are internal and external forces that will continue to shape and change the sport tourism market. Throughout this paper, I will continue to tie in the previously mentioned themes, with a more narrow focus of the sport tourism market; hosting.
Discussion
When looking at behavior as a theme, it is described as distinguishing between active [person t...
... middle of paper ...
...y” (Higham, 1999, p. 89). Higham makes a good point. If planning is not done strategically and based off of a designated area's characteristics, then it is likely that the outcome will be unsuccessful or even negative. Not all cities are cut out to host, and some need to evaluate when the time is right to host. A fantastic example of timing and it's importance, is the bid for the 2010 World Cup. When South Africa bid in 2004 for host of the 2010 cup, they received the results that changed the host and it's people's lives in such a positive way. The news kick started a six year path to national reconstruction. Not only that, but it isolated the nation from the economic down turn from 2008-2009 because the pre-funded, and pre-committed preparations for the event were already underway and guaranteed, providing thousands of people with work (Mediratti, 2010).
Sporting is one of the universal activities that brings people from different backgrounds together and is viewed as an income generating activity that creates revenue for the participants as well as the location where the activities are held. The NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament is one of the most anticipated sporting events in the US that attracts a high number of fans in the cities where it is held. Before the Final Four is held in given location, it is imperative for the organizers to have a detailed understanding of the venue so that they can introduce marketing strategies that are in line with the demands of the fans (Snipes & Ingram, 2007). The host committee is charged with the responsibility to come introduce an exhilarating experience for the locals and visitors. Owing to the interest generated
Over the time, athletes have become celebrities. You can find their posters hung on walls of millions of children’s rooms, their advertisements all around the television channels, and their pictures everywhere on billboards around the cities. In other words, they have become a sort of investment for their teams and sponsors as well as the mass media. That is why; many cities have decided to make use of that cash cow. They realized the popularity of those athletes is getting bigger, and they knew that any city that hosts a bunch of those celebrities would attract thousands of fans to watch, meet and cheer for them; something, which would turn a city into a tourist hub with thousands of people going in and out, generating millions in revenues for loc...
From 2001 2002 there was a 23% increase in the construction of sports stadiums and arenas with costs of those facilities upwards of $7.8 billion. The growing global sport industry requires that sport facility and event management keep current of new and proven management techniques. Sport Facility Management: Organizing Events and Mitigating Risks by Ammon, Jr., Southall, and Blair, provides readers with a basic introduction to elements of facility management for the full range of sporting and entertainment events. There is a high demand for individuals who are educated and trained in facility management, event organization, and risk management and since the September 11 attacks there has been a great emphasis placed on facility and risk management. Each chapter provides theoretical foundations and practical applications for each critical phase of facility management. The authors provided photographs, case studies, and industry examples to assist the reader in gaining an overall basic, picture of the sporting event and entertainment industry today. The book provides in-depth discussions about positive advances that have made the entire experience easier and more comfortable for fans; and about the negative economic and cultural consequences for sport events after September 11 2001.
With over two hundred countries participating, the Olympic Games is easily considered as one of the largest multisport event known to history. The Olympics are held at a different country, and even more rarely at the same city. For a country to be chosen to host the Olympics, the country’s National Olympic Committee (the country’s representatives for the Olympics) nominates a city (from the country they represent) that they think has potential in hosting the Olympics nine years prior to when they wish to host the Olympics. It is a two year process that consists of: Application Phase, Candidate Phase and the Election of the Host City. The country that wins the election is given seven years to prepare for the Olympics. (International Olympic Committee, n.d., p. xx-xx) The hosting country expends billions of dollars, usually money they don’t have, preparing for the Olympics. Then the question is raised 'why would a country go through so much trouble and spend an outrageous amount of money to host this event?' Throughout this discussion paper it will address all the pros and cons for a country to host the Olympics. It will also see if a smaller sports event can produce the same benefits the Olympic offers with less cost and risk.
The Olympic Games are held every four years with the main intent to “promote people’s physical and psychological level, likewise to promote different country’s people, have more communication and to help maintaining world peace” (official website of Olympic movement). However, there are many risks in hosting the Olympic Games, for example the effects of an economic downturn after the closure of a host country’s
One may disagree that hosting Olympics is not worthwhile as it requires a city or a country to bring out an enormous sum of money for the preparation and planning of hosting the Olympics. Zimbalist (2012, pp. 116) says that the summer Games roughly generates a total of $5-$6 billion and almost half of it belongs to the International Olympic Committee. On the other hand, the cost of the games has increased roughly
Firstly, being the host of a major sporting event such as the Olympics could actually benefit the hosting countries’ economic and cultural benefits of the Olympics. The Olympics have a very wide reach in this modern day with. This is a plus especially with the existence of today’s social media and the Internet. In the economic side, it could actually be a very powerful marketing and publishing tool for the host country. With all the present technology that is available nowadays, it actually is a good way to promote a certain country to the world. This eventually increase the economic level of the country that is hosting it, as they will receive visitors from all over the world and they will eventually spend their money to the host countries, thus improving their economics. Winbey (2014) states that the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics are somet...
...ally focused on why cities pursue large scale Mega-events such as the Olympics. The book provides a connection between local politics and economical factors into modern day Mega-events. The author focuses on mainly three recent Olympics that all occurred in the US, breaking it down into three separate case studies answering many such questions as why cities seek such an event their outcome and policy decision. In a well organized manner from the begging of the bidding process to the final outcome the cook gives great incite on concluding if the event was successful or a loss to the city. Overall the book gives great incite of preparing for such a Mega-event like the Olympics and its major issues, the authors do a great job explain and proving their points in a clear and organized manner, all in all a great read helping to understand the politics behind such events.
Roche, M. (2000). Megaevents and Modernity: Olympics and Expos in the Growth of Global Culture. (1st ed.) Routledge.
Nowadays in the rea of globalization, according to the World Tourism Organization, “seven hundred million people travelled abroad in 2003”, and the number is estimated to increase to 1.6 billion by 2020. (International Labour Organization, 2005). Tourism is spreading in unusual places. A lot of people want to be in the midst of adventure. It is a vital source of revenues for the GDP of many countries. I partially agree that tourism hugely benefits the local community. This essay will discuss some of the economic, social and environment effect of tourism on the host community.
The following report provides an accurate and informative overview of the nature of tourism, its history and growth, the structure of the New Zealand industry and the impact of tourism from a New Zealand perspective. The report will draw a conclusion which Highlights area of consideration in tourism planning.
1.2 Problem Formulation In the problem formulation part of my report I would describe the overall situation of the U.K Tourism industry. The service concept of “Simply Travel” will give us information about the services provided by the company. I will find out about the customers, competitors of the company. I will find out what political, economical, social and technological factors affecting the company and its demand situation.
After researching the impacts events have on regional development I have come to agree with the statement ‘The events industry is an effective and appropriate vehicle for facilitation of regional development’. The significance of this thesis is to critically discuss and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the events industry and regional development while also providing an understanding of the history of events and the increasing significance of the event industry in contemporary society. Real life examples from around the world are used to recognize and justify the event industry as part of the tourism sector and explore specific implications to event management. Various sectors of the events industry are identified and discussed to support the theoretical discussion on how the events industry is an effective and appropriate vehicle for facilitation of regional development.
In the more economically developed countries (MEDCs), synonymous mainly with the industrialised countries of the northern hemisphere there, has been an explosion in the growth of leisure and tourism industry, which is now believed to be the worlds second largest industry in terms of money generated. In order to differentiate between leisure and tourism it should be recognised that leisure often involves activities enjoyed during an individual’s free time, whereas tourism commonly refers to organised touring undertaken on a commercial basis. Development in the two areas could be attributed to changing patterns in working lives within the last four decades. Generally, people now have more disposable wealth, work shorter hours, receive longer, paid annual leave, retire earlier and have greater personal mobility. In addition, according to Marshall & Wood (1995), the growth of the tourist industry per se can be associated, in part, with the concentration of capital; the emergence of diversified leisure based companies, sometimes within wider corporate conglomerates and often associated with particular airlines. Furthermore, the development of tourism can generate employment both directly, in jobs created in the hotels, restaurants etc, and indirectly, through expenditure on goods and services in the local area. Nevertheless, although the tourist industry is competitive, which essentially keeps down the cost of foreign travel, the success of tourism in any one area can be ‘influenced by weather, changing consumer tastes, demographics, economic cycles, government policy, not to mention international terrorism and other forms of conflict.’(1) Although such factors may have a detrimental affect on the economy of a popular tourist destination (or even tourism in general, in light of September 11th 2001), the consequence of tourism in general is often three fold: environmental, social and cultural, which in turn has prompted a search for new ‘friendly’ approaches that are less destructive.
Generally, infrastructure is divided into two main parts which involves hard and soft infrastructures. According to UNWTO (United Nations World Trade Organisation), (2011), the enlargement of tourist arrivals, went up by approximately 7% in 2010 to 940 million, has led to increase in the number of new and state-of-the-art hotels, restaurants, airports and other tourist apartments. The rising share of amenities illustrates the improvement of hard infrastructure caused by more tourist number. Other contributions of the industry to the former accessibility of electricity and water, better road systems and transport services are also involved in the related expansion of economic activity (cited in Boz, 2011). Besides that, tourism offers numerous positive impacts to the latter, according to OECD, (2014) “soft infrastructure” can be defined as the creation of events and spaces which shows the spirit and unity of that country’s culture. These forms of infrastructure programmes have been applying to both urban and rural areas in order to make the place more well-known and tourists attractive. For example, in Australia, 2007 several events including the Booktown Festival were held to develop marketing strategies and increase tourist numbers. The results were more satisfactory than expected with place-branding advantages, noticeable rural regeneration, growing tourist numbers and