Olympic Tourism: Understanding Flows & Developing Strategies Mike Weed Department of Sport Science, Tourism & Leisure
Olympic Tourism Tourism behaviour motivated or generated by Olympic-related activities (Weed, 2008) May comprise: Tourism with Sports Content Sports Participation Tourism Sports Training Sports Event Tourism Luxury Sports Tourism Generic Tourism in the PRE-, DURING & POST- Games periods
Leveraging Unlike impact assessments, the study of leverage has a strategic and tactical focus. The objective is to identify strategies and tactics that can be implemented prior to and during an event in order to generate particular outcomes. Consequently, leveraging implies a much more pro-active approach to capitalising on opportunities, rather than impacts research which simply measures outcomes. (Chalip, 2004)
Leveraging & Olympic Tourism Flows Undoubtedly, there is a clear link between behaviours, impacts, policy and management in sports tourism, and it is leveraging [that acts as a] bridging concept. A leveraging approach assumes that policies and management strategies can be put in place derived from an understanding of behaviours to maximise positive impacts (Weed, 2008)
Olympic Tourism Flows May have positive, negative or neutral effects Tourism behaviour motivated or generated by Olympic-related activities Level of analysis (e.g., city, region, country) can change effect of flows (Weed, 2008)
REST OF THE WORLD Olympic Tourism Flows HOST CITY OR REGION HOST COUNTRY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES
REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION Olympic Tourism Flows REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION HOST COUNTRY REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION HOST COUNTRY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES HOST COUNTRY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES Pre-Games During-Games Post-Games
Olympic Tourism Flows May have positive, negative or neutral effects Level of analysis (e.g., city, region, country) can change effect of flows Understanding flows is crucial to effective Leveraging strategies Minimising negative flows can be as important as maximising positive flows.
REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION Olympic Tourism Flows REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION HOST COUNTRY REST OF THE WORLD HOST CITY OR REGION HOST COUNTRY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES HOST COUNTRY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES Pre-Games During-Games Post-Games
Tourism Flows in London During the Games H om e sta y e rs R es id ents w ho op t to s tay in the city and spend their m oney at hom e rather than on a v acatio n ou t o f th e regio n at s om e other tim e in the year R u n a w ay s C h an ge rs R es id ents w h o leav e the city and tak e a ho lid ay ou t of th e regi on R es id ents w ho leav e th e city/ regi on an d tak e their holid a ys at the tim e of the ev ent rather than at s om e other tim e in the year C a su a ls T ou ris ts w ho w o u ld hav e v is ited th e city/ re gio n ev en w ithou t the ev ent H o st C ity/ R eg io n R e side n ts R es id ents w ho w ou ld hav e been in the city/ r eg ion w itho u t the ev ent Tim e sw itc h e rs T ou ris ts w ho w anted to trav el to the city/ re gio n bu t at another tim e E v e n t v isitors P ers ons w ho trav el to the hos t city becau s e of the ev ent E x te n sion e rs T ou ris ts w ho w ou ld hav e com e an yw ay b u t s tay longer b ec au s e of the ev ent A v oide rs T ou ris ts w ho s tay aw ay bu t w ou ld hav e com e w ithou t the ev ent ( a ) ( b ) C a n ce lle rs T ou ris ts that to tally can cell ed their trip P re / P ost Sw itc h e rs T ou ris ts that w ill com e later o r cam e ear lie r SOURCE: Weed (2008) - adapted from Preuss(2005)
Tourism Flows in London Before and After the Games Pre-event period Event period Post-event period Changers Changers Pre-event General Tourists Home stayers Runaways Post-event General Tourists Casuals Host City/Region Pre-event Sports Tourists (b) Pre-Switchers Time switchers Pre-Avoiders Host City/Region Event visitors Residents Extentioners Time switchers (b) Post- Switchers Avoiders (a) Cancellers Host City/Region Post-event Sports Tourists Post- Avoiders SOURCE: Weed (2007) - adapted from Preuss (2005)
Business Tourism Opportunities in the regions 2010-2012 Effective leveraging may extend this period Potential Boost for London 2013+ Similar leveraging process to that for generic tourism Potential to develop relationships through the Games Generic Tourism Leveraging largely focuses on media
Media Exposure / Impact: Background Media coverage is claimed to enhance the tourism image of a destination resulting in long-term positive effects of tourism on the economy Need to get a destination into consideration set of potential tourists Olympic Games research showed that Calgary Winter Olympics media coverage: enhanced the saliency and attractiveness of Calgary as a destination (Ritchie, 1990)
Media Exposure / Impact: Issues Many events contain little coverage of host city City-related messages/images rarely targeted Broadcasters use of city related messages/images is often haphazard Iconographic images and place names most effective Iconographic experiences are very difficult to portray Urban backdrops can often be indistinct
Cultural Olympiad: I 1. Events to attract tourism 2. Tourism events to engage local residents Three key levels across 2008-2012 Mandatory Ceremonial Extraordinary live spectacles for stadium audiences, and international television events, watched by an estimated 1 in 3 people globally. They pull the world s focus towards London and setting the tone for the competition, in a festival of celebration. Bid Projects and Signature Events Forming part of the IOC contract with London, working with key partners to deliver. Also a series of world standard cultural events representing our invitation to the world to join in the celebrations. UK Cultural Festival Adding value to the myriad cultural events which will take place across the UK over a four-year period
Cultural Olympiad: II Cultural Olympiad key part of community engagement in the regions Can offset economic issues: (change in GDP, million) Preevent (2005-2011) During event (2012) Postevent (2013-2016) Overall (2005-2016) UK 248 1,067 622 1,936 London 3,362 925 1,613 5,900
Olympic Tourism: Understanding Flows & Developing Strategies mike.weed@canterbury.ac.uk Department of Sport Science, Tourism & Leisure