Analysis of the event life cycle stages of Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics

This article provides an analysis of the event life cycle stages of Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics. It covers the formation, growth, and staging stages of the event. The article also provides recommendations for improving the games and enhancing the sustainability of sports in the region.

Running head: ATTRACTION AND EVENT MANAGEMENT
Attraction and Event Management
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The analysis of the event life cycle stages
I. The formation stage of the Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics
The formation stage of the Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics is the earliest stage of the event.
The event had been held in the year 2018 (Lindberg and Hee-beom 2019). In the formation stage,
the technicians of the event began their preparations long ago when South Korea had been
selected as the hosts for the Winter Olympic Games. However, it can be said that the co-
Chairman of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games Jin-Sun Ki, saw this opportunity for a
huge investment by the Internaational Olympic Committee (IOC) (Lindberg and Hee-beom
2019). The country had been declared as a bidding city for the 2018 Winter Olympics in the
month of October in the year 2009 (Kim, Choi and Kaplanidou 2015). He was very much elated
to find that South Korea had been selected as the host country for the Games.
However he also admitted that the country needed to improve its infrastructure a lot than the
current one. The other two big name applicant cities for the Games were Annecy from France
and Munich from Germany. The need for improvement of the venues had been recognized by the
hosts. It had been highlighted in the Applicant File that Pyeongchang had been judged as the best
in terms of making the most compact event plan (Lindberg and Hee-beom 2019). Thus the
formation stage of the event could be said as the one that had the best efficient plans for the
success. The Summer Olympics had been held at Seoul in Korea in 1988. That success helped
South Korea to be selected again for the Olympic Games. The Olympic Movement vision of the
IOC had been aligned with the vision of South Korea (Kim, Choi and Kaplanidou 2015).
II. The growth stage of the Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics

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In the growth stage of the event the Winter Sports Development Plan had been taken as a
very significant element for this event (Lee 2016). The Government also had the visions of
promoting the sports within the country along with the Paralympics. In the meantime, they had
created around 17 new winter sports teams. They also created four large-scale facilities for the
winter sports. These are the $1.4bn Alpensia Resort, O2 Resort, Hansol Oak Valley and High 1
Resort. These winter sports facilities would really help the infrastructure to improve and cater to
the growth of the games indeed (Kim, Choi and Kaplanidou 2015). The data reveals that around
806 youths had visited Pyeongchang from 42 countries all around the world.
They had decided to continue with this program for the future so they can provide more
athletes in the coming times. They wanted the expansion of this situation regardless of the Host
City decision made for 2018 (Preuss 2013). The Government decided to host the winter Olympic
Games noticing several benefits. These benefits include the promotion of the balanced
development of the Winter Sports Games in the country. They wanted to develop the class
competence in the short track speed skating, figure skating and speed skating (Kim, Choi and
Kaplanidou 2015). They have observed that the sports facilities are not up to the mark in the
alpine, Nordic and sliding events. The winter sports development plans for the betterment of the
facilities have to be put in place. This would be much effective in the scenario. As South Korea
would be hosting the Winter Olympics they would be boosted up to improve their venues
following a balanced development (Lindberg and Hee-beom 2019).
III. The staging of the Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics
The staging of the Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang has been a matter of great excitement
for all the people of the host country. The winter sports development plan of South Korea named

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Drive the Dreams would surely carry forward the decisions of the government at full speed. The
government had been successful in the regional development through the means of development
in the transport (Preuss 2013). As Pyeongchang had a previous experience of hosting the
Olympics, it had been a great privilege for them to arrange the things in a better manner.
The newly constructed Olympic venues had catered to the growth of the infrastructure and
the successful completion of the Olympic Games (Baade and Matheson 2016). As they had been
successful in hosting this event they received several benefits like earning the reputation of the
Asian hub for the arrangement of the winter sports. The significant investment plans had been
fruitful for the development of the winter sports in Pyeongchang (Preuss 2013). The view of
Pyeongchang to expand the winter sports to an international stage had been successful indeed.
This Olympic Movement of Pyeongchang had been successful in winning the hearts and minds
of several young people in Asia. The legacy aims of hosting this event had been a grand success
for Pyeongchang. As Seoul in 1988 gained the first-hand experience of carrying on the Olympic
legacies, Pyeongchang also joined the list. The end result after the successful hosting was their
ability to earn a reputation of ‘Sports and Tourism Belt’ with the opportunities for recreational
sports.
Recommendations
It is very significant to recommend some actions by which the entire games could have
been improved. They must encourage the young athletes from the other Asian countries to
participate in this program in large numbers. It is the responsibility of the Government to spread
the winter games all over Asia through brand marketing and promotion. The athletes can be
encouraged by showing the facilities they can get in the country. It would also develop their

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skills and enhance their performance levels in several ways. The growth of the interest should be
on the rise for all the participants. If the participation and interest grows among the people of the
country and the other Asian countries, their culture will be enhanced as well.
However, the local economy of South Korea will get a huge boost including
Pyeongchang. The Government of South Korea should prepare a plan for the sustainability of
sports in the region. This would help the continent to perform even better in the Olympic Games
and win more medals. There are several aspects for increasing the opportunities for tourism as
well. The sustainability model should be put to practice by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) by promoting the important and valuable aspects of the games. Apart from that they
should also build a pollution free city that should attract the sportspersons to the city.
The national government has also designed a “Low Carbon Green Growth Model City”
in the city of Pyeongchang. Thus the city can grow to be a model for all other developing cities
to follow. The “Green Plan” should be used as a basic model for the growth of the city. It can
also be recommended that the green initiatives would be helpful for all other cities in world to
save the natural environment as it is full of pollution. The fragility of earth should be saved in all
respect. Another step South Korea can take is to establish peace between two Koreas who have
been ardent enemies of each other over the decades. Thus the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
have always been beneficial for the two Koreas since they have co-operated in several areas
including sports. This co-operative relationship between North Korea and South Korea would be
enhanced as South Korea has arranged this Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang.

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References and Bibliography
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Olympics. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30(2), pp.201-18.
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Korea. International Geology Review, 60(3), pp.267-287.
Choi, C., Shin, M. and Kim, C.G., 2015. Globalization, Regionalism and Reconciliation in South
Korea's Asian Games. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 32(10), pp.1308-1320.
Choi, C.R. and Heo, C.M., 2013. Economic changes resulting from Seoul 1988: Implications for
London 2012 and future games. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 30(15),
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Kim, A., Choi, M. and Kaplanidou, K., 2015. The role of media in enhancing people’s
perception of hosting a mega sport event: the case of pyeongchang’s winter olympics
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Lindberg, G. and Hee-beom, L. 2019. PyeongChang stage prepared for successful Olympic
Winter Games. [online] International Olympic Committee. Available at:

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https://www.olympic.org/news/pyeongchang-stage-prepared-for-successful-olympic-winter-
games [Accessed 14 Jan. 2019].
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