Week 13: Understanding Mega Events

Week 13: Mega Events

• Mega-events are large-scale cultural (including commercial and sporting) events with a dramatic character, mass popularity, and international significance.
• Mega-events are characterized by their distinctive "stand-alone" nature and are considered "out-of-the-ordinary."
• The term "mega-event" emerged in academic studies relatively recently, first appearing in 1987 during a congress on tourism.
• Mega-events can be evaluated in terms of four characteristics: attractiveness for visitors, scope of reach, financial cost, and the transformative impact.
• The three major types of mega-events are cultural, political, and sporting events.
• A cultural mega-event is characterized by its large scale, typically affecting the national and potentially international level. It's usually larger than routine sporting fixtures.
• A political mega-event has implications for international relations, diplomacy, or global policy, often attracting significant media coverage and public interest due to its political importance. Examples include G7, G20, or COP summits.
• Sporting mega-events are large-scale sporting competitions or championships drawing substantial global attention. They have a considerable effect on host cities and countries, often requiring significant planning and funding.
• Mega-events contribute to economic growth by attracting tourists, creating numerous jobs, and stimulating infrastructure improvements, leading to lasting legacies.
• Mega-events can attract foreign investment, promote urban renewal, and boost long-term economic development.
• Mega-events often face challenges like cost overruns, uncertain returns on investment, and diversions of resources from other public services.

Defining Mega Events

• Mega-events have a dramatic character, mass popular appeal, and international significance.
• The term "mega-event" was introduced fairly recently into academic studies.
• It appeared for the first time at the 1987 37th Congress of the Association Internationale d'Experts Scientifiques du Tourisme.

Case Studies: Astana EXPO-2017, Olympic Games

• Astana Expo-2017, themed "Future Energy," was a significant international event held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 10 to September 10, 2017.
• The Expo attracted 115 countries, 22 international organizations, 40 heads of state, and 72 foreign ministers.

Mega-Event Periods

• Pre-Event Period: Involves the bidding period and organizational work.
• Event Period: The actual time of the event includes organizational responsibilities and logistics.
• Post-Event Period: The analysis stage and reports are presented.

Mega-Event Tourism

• Mega-events attract massive crowds, filling hotels, restaurants, and attractions.
• Tourists experiencing these events spend directly in the local economy boosting tourism and job creation.
• Infrastructure upgrades, new developments in public spaces, and public transportation improvements are made.
• Mega-events stimulate investment from abroad and bolster urban renewal projects as well as fostering long-term economic growth beneficial to the local region.

Significance of Mega Events

• Mega-events can be evaluated based on visitor attractiveness, mediated reach, cost, and transformative impact.
• Events are significant based on global and national levels of impact.
• Examples of global events include the Commonwealth Games, FIFA World Cup, Olympics, World Expos, and political summits.

Pre-Event Period

• Guarantees from the host city to the event owner.
• A profile of the host city, including demographic information, environment, economic and political information.
• Plans for content of the event, facilities, accommodation, and transport.
• Plans for associated celebratory and educational events.

Event Period

• Security concerns surrounding mega-events such as location, economic disruption, and media presence
• Extensive logistical, security, and related infrastructural pre-event, event-day, and post-event procedures.
• Managing resources, participants, and various other responsibilities in the organization, including logistical and supply chain.
• Organizing diverse programs across multiple domains involving various governmental and international bodies (3500 events/forums/summits)

Post-Event Period

• Understanding the post-event timeline.
• Challenges and opportunities for urban regeneration, white elephant problems, and political considerations (Did the event benefit everyone?).
• Managing public perception and accountability.