Festival and Special Event

Management 3e
Chapter 3
Event Tourism Planning

Learning objectives
After studying this chapter, you should
be able to:

1. Describe event tourism and the destination

approach to event tourism planning
2. Conduct an event tourism situational analysis to
create a foundation for goal setting and strategic
decision making
3. Describe the range of goals that a destination might
seek to progress through an event tourism strategy

Learning objectives cont.

4. List and describe organizations that might play a
role in a destinations efforts at event tourism
development
5. Describe generic strategy options available to
organizations seeking to develop event tourism to
a destination
6. List and discuss approaches to the implementation
and evaluation of event tourism strategies
7. Discuss the potential event tourism has to
generate event tourism outcomes in small
communities

Developing Events- A tourism

strategy
A deliberate effort by countries,
cities, towns to utilize events as a
tourism strategy to increase visitor
arrivals

Developing Events- A tourism

strategy
Government support at all levels
-from investment in specialist bodies
charged with event-specific
development, funding, infrastructure
Policy development initiatives and
legislation

MAJOR EVENT TOURISM

ORGANISATIONS
Event organizations differs from country to
country:
Tourism promotional bodies
Local Government and Chamber of
Commerce
Convention Centers and Visitor Bureaus
Tourism Commissions/agencies
Festival and Public Event Bodies
Government Departments sports and
Culture and event organizing companies

Benefits of a strategic plan

1. Coordination of events
2. Tourism event capacity building
that represent the best strategic fit
for the areas overall tourism efforts
and its current and projected
business environment. The Time
frame is usually 5-15 years

THE EVENT TOURISM STRATEGIC PLANNING

PROCESS

Situational Analysis
Present goals
Present situation of stakeholders in
the event area- tourism bodies,
government agencies, community,
major event organizers
SWOT Analysis

Development of the event tourism

goals
The role event tourism is required to play
in a destinations tourism development
efforts will vary according to the overall
tourism strategy that is being pursued
This will impact on the issues of the
destinations brand and position that
the event strategy may be required to
support

Common Goals are:

1.Leveraging events for economic gain
2. Geographic- dispersal of economic benefits
flowing from tourism
3. Destination Branding
4. Destination Marketing
5.Creating off season demand for tourism
industry services
6.Enhancing visitor experiences
7.Catalyst for expansion and/or improvement of
infrastructure
8. Progression of a destinations social, cultural
and/or environmental agenda

Creation of an event tourism

organizational structure
To achieve stated goals and objectives it
is necessary to allocated responsibility to
one or more organizations.
In some cases it is allocated to the body
responsible for tourism development
In other cases multiple specific
organization are involved such as festival
committees and event organizations with
specific skills .eg. sailing, regattas

MAJOR EVENT TOURISM

ORGANISATIONS
Major event agencies
Government tourism organisations
Specialist event agencies

DEVELOPMENT OF AN EVENT TOURISM

STRATEGY
Existing event development Event bidding- bidding to attract existing mobile
events- World Cup Cricket, Olympics
New event creation- events chosen must be in
sync with the strategic needs of the destination
Strategy must consider what portfolio of events
to pursue in order to deliver benefits for the
destination eg. Festivals, sports, business etc.
Events must be rated

Cost benefit Analysis

Benefits? Cost? Value?
Use a rating scale
1.Events of State significance
2. Events of Regional significance
3. Local Community special interest
events

of negative
events
Balancing
Events havethe
bothimpacts
positive and
impacts
Positive impacts must be developed
and maximised
Negative impacts need to be addressed
through awareness and intervention
The task of the event manager is to
balance the impacts of events in the
interests of all stakeholders

Social and cultural impacts

POSITIVE
Shared experience
Revitalising traditions
Building pride
Validation of community
groups
Increased participation
Introducing new ideas
Expanding perspectives

NEGATIVE
Community alienation
Manipulation of
community
Negative image
Bad behaviour
Substance abuse
Social dislocation
Loss of amenity

Physical and environmental

impacts
POSITIVE
Showcase environment
Providing best practice
models
Increasing awareness
Of environmental issues
Infrastructure legacy
Improved transport and
communication
Urban renewal

NEGATIVE
Environmental
damage
Pollution
Destruction of
heritage
Noise disturbance
Traffic congestion

Political impacts
NEGATIVE

POSITIVE
International
prestige
Improved profile
Promotion of
investment
Social cohesion
Development of
administrative
skills

Risk of event failure

Misallocation of funds
Lack of accountability
Propagandising
Loss of community
ownership and
control
Legitimating of
ideology

Tourism and economic

impacts
POSITIVE
Destination promotion
and increased tourist
visits
Extended length of
stay
Higher yield
Increased tax
revenue
Job creation

NEGATIVE
Community
resistance to tourism
Loss of authenticity
Damage to reputation
Exploitation
Inflated prices
Opportunity costs

Summary
Event managers must assess and
balance the impacts of events
Events create social and cultural
benefits, but may result in social
dislocation if not properly managed

IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EVENT
TOURISM STRATEGY
Financial support-- Grants, Sponsorship,
Equity( Direct investment)
Ownership- Is it Tourism Body, Private
Sector
Bid development and bid support servicesOrganizations research, develop event
proposal and make bids to sporting or
professional organizations

IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EVENT TOURISM STRATEGY

Event sector development services include- research,

training and education and partnerships and networks
Coordination- Event Bodies act as a one-shop stop
and act as the coordinating body looking at annual
events on the calendar, clarify policies, consult and
facilitate protocol services
Event/destination promotion services
- Marketing and development of websites and
collateral materials
Other-development of business plans, marketing, risk
plans and networking with the media

EVALUATION OF AN EVENT
TOURISM STRATEGY
Basis of evaluation broad tourism goals
and associated objectives established by
a destination for event tourism.
Data required for evaluation, e.g. data on
event-related visitor flows
Whole of destination vs. event organization
assessments

SUMMARY
This chapter has outlined a basic event
tourism strategic planning model.
Various tools and practices available to
support efforts at event tourism
planning have also been discussed.