The document discusses sustainable event tourism, emphasizing the balance between event growth and environmental protection. It covers strategies for maximizing benefits from events, economic impacts, and the event life cycle, highlighting the importance of monitoring and adapting to changes. Additionally, it addresses challenges like overcapacity and competition that can lead to event decline.

1. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Event Sustainability
Chapter 4

2. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Warning beach signage,
Manley Beach, Australia
 This signage warns
not to collect sea
creatures or be
subject to a fine.
Apart from the
protection of the
ecosystem, what
other factors help to
provide event
sustainability?

3. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Chapter objectives
 Understand the concept of sustainable tourism
within events
 Consider the ways to maximise the benefits of
an event strategy
 Know the importance of generating revenues
and event economic assessment
 Understand the event’s life cycle and influences
 Examine the carrying capacity concept of an
event

4. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Sustainable event tourism
 The paradox is that while events and
festivals have helped in regeneration, they
have brought with them change
 With many of Asia’s events based on
environmental conditions, any decline can
have negative consequences on these
events

5. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Principles and guidelines to
sustainable event tourism
 These should be practical to implement and
monitor
 Agreement, consensus and trade-offs maybe
needed in the negotiation process
 Realistically, events will inevitably impact the
environment. The event manager should
strive to consciously negate as much as
possible

6. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Scope of Sustainable Tourism*
Sustainable Event
tourism
Pollution:
Air, water, noise,
visual
Conservation policies and
practices:
Landscapes, townscapes,
waterscapes,
wildlife, indigenous
communities
Resource use:
Water, land, food, power,
materials
Wildlife and
ecosystems:
Hunting, habitats
Operational practices:
Recycling, waste management,
energy conservation, eco-friendly
construction
Public sector policy:
Funding, legislation, planning
Host community:
Distribution of benefits,
involvement
Tourist:
Behaviour, concerns
Industry:
Codes of practice, self-regulation, level
of stakeholder collaboration,
sustainable tourism-related initiatives
* From Swarbrooke, 1999:16

7. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Managing and maximising
benefits
 Both the event and community can benefit
from event revenues:
 Event fees
 Sponsorships and partnerships
 Grants
 Venue rental
 Accommodation providers
 Human resources
 Travel visas

8. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Managing and maximising
benefits
 Airport taxes
 Transportation providers
 Restaurant and bars
 Entertainment
 Utilities
 Museums, monuments and sites
 Post-event revenues

9. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Monitoring economic impacts and
revenues
 Should the events objective be the
generation of extra revenue, this can
be done by:
 Extending visitor catchment area
 Increasing ticket price and delegate fees
 Greater spending on event souvenirs and
merchandise
 Encouraging longer visitor stay

10. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Multiplier effect
 This looks at the economy by industry sector
and conducting an input-output analysis based
on the event occurring
 The multiplier used depends on its degree of
influence on the local economy
 Earned income at an event by a local resident
can have a ripple effect throughout the economy
 Leakage could occur with local goods substituted
for more expensive foreign brands

11. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Event Life Cycle
 An recurring event has
have a life span.
Internal and external
forces can accelerate
growth or force the
event into decline
 Event concepts, such as
product launches,
opening/closing
ceremonies or events
that rotate between
cities, also need to stay
relevant and appealing
Revenues
Research & Development
Introduction
Growth
Maturity
Possible
decline
Rejuvenated
Sustained
Decline
Time

12. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Research and development
 A feasibility study should be conducted to
see how realistically the event could be
staged successfully. The negative revenue
reflects the costs involved in this research
 Need to examine changing participant
tastes and trends, spectator appeal,
resources needed and competitive analysis

13. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Introduction
 Opening ceremonies normally signal the
beginning of the event
 Marketing programmes need to occur some
time before the opening to ensure targeted
number of participants turn up
 A recurring event will have had time to
create a database, repeat visitors and
appeal. A new event may need to grow
these

14. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Growth
 Based on the success of the introduction,
the event can continue to attract more
participation
 Reliant on issues such as relevant
programme, marketing and promotion
strategy, retention (for recurring events)
and infrastructure investment
 Popular events can be copied so there is
always a need to keep a competitive edge

15. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Maturity
 Venues can reach capacities, yet the event must
continue to keep participant numbers
 Various strategies must be in place to continually
add value and additional features to the event
 The event could encourage greater international
team participation, becoming more professional,
more strategic marketing, infrastructure
investment, location packaging, and linking to
popular trends

16. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Decline
 Events can go into decline for a number of
reasons. The warning signs are often there
 Internal factors: Poor or lack of strategic
management, environmental destruction, event
becoming obsolete and unattractive
 External factors: Political changes, more
appealing competitor events, lack of community
support, demographic shifts, capacity thresholds
being exceeded

17. © 2010 by McGraw-Hill Education (Asia)
Event’s Carrying Capacity
 Events have physical and social carrying capacity
thresholds. A visitor management system is
needed
 Exceeding numbers can put a strain on the
event, its resources and environment
 Lack of monitoring thresholds can effect
participant event experience and community
support
 Participant arrival and departure sequence must
be carefully considered in event logistics