Impact of FIFA World Cup 2014 on Brazilian Tourism Industry

This essay analyzes the social, economic, and environmental impact of the FIFA World Cup 2014 on the tourism industry of Brazil. It focuses on the employment, revenue generation, and infrastructural development resulting from the event. The essay also discusses the legacy of sporting events in enhancing tourism destination development.

Running head: SPORTS AND SPECIAL EVENT TOURISM
Sports and Special Event Tourism
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Outline of the Essay:
The topic of the essay is the social, environmental and the economic impact that the
occurrence of FIFA World Cup 2014 had on Brazilian tourism industry.
Goals of the Essay:
The fundamental goal of the essay is to elaborate the social, economic and the
environmental impact of the FIFA World Cup 2014 on the tourism industry of Brazil.
In addition to this, the essay analyses the legacy of the sporting or the special mega
events on the tourism destination development.
The essay is written with a specific focus on the impact of the FIFA World Cup 2014
on the host country Brazil where it analyses the effect of the event on the employment of the
country, the generation of revenue of the nation and the economy of the nation. Along with
that, the essay evaluates impact of the event on the society of the mentioned nation with a
precise focus on the environment as well.

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Introduction:
The impact of the sporting and cultural events on the global tourism industry is
significantly high. The intensity in the bidding process of the global mega events such as the
football world cup, cricket world cup or the Olympics is pretty significant in stating the
considerable amount of benefits that these events are associated with. With a precise focus on
the increasing intensity in the bidding procedures of these events, an in depth analysis of the
occurrence of these events clearly portrays the societal development, the cultural
development and the economic development that it contributes. (Korstanje, Tzanelli &
Clayton 2014) commented on the scope of achieving the significant infrastructural
development as one of the key factor responsible for the increasing urgency amongst the
nations in hosting these mega events.
On the other hand Gursoy, Milito and Nunkoo (2017), highlighted the scope of
cultural assimilation as one of the influential factors for the increment in the interest of the
national authorities in taking part in the bidding procedures. Apart from this, Grix and
Houlihan (2014), raised the most important argument while claiming that the occurrence of
these events is solely based on the national authority’s intention of increasing the revenue and
strengthen the economy of their nations and along with that, for improving the tourism
market in the nations. The paper is focused in the elaboration of the impact of FIFA World
Cup 2014 on the host nation precise focus on the culture, environment and social aspects.
Considering the occurrence of the event, the paper also portrays the legacy of these events
with a precise focus on the mentioned event.
Elaboration of the event and the impact of it on the society, economy and the
environment:

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The chosen case is the FIFA world cup happened in the year 2014 in Brazil. The
event played a crucial role in the development of the economy of the host nation along with
the infrastructural development.
Economic Impact:
With a precise focus on the characteristics of such significant events, it is pretty
evident that the events will attract a significant number of customers. Grix (2014),
highlighted the topic while claiming that such mega events like football world cup, cricket
world cup or the Olympics allow the national tourism industry to achieve a significant growth
as the number of tourists that these events attract, are considerably higher than any other
events. The scope of gaining a large number of tourists with the occurrence of the event was
pretty evident with the nation’s federal government forecasts which expected that the
occurrence of the mentioned global event will achieve 3.7 million national and 600000
International tourists (Brasil.gov.br, 2019). The substantial increment in the inflow of the
tourists in the nation was of great significance for the mentioned nation as that had the
potential to generate an amount of 13.43 billion US dollars (Brasil.gov.br, 2019).
The generated sum had the potential of improving the financial stability of the
economy of the mentioned nation in a significant manner and that was pretty evident with the
range of benefits that the mentioned amount of tourist inflow provided to the business sectors
such as the service, hotel, restaurants or transportation. Considering the impact of the event
on the revenue of the tourism industry, FIFA world cup enables the host nation to achieve 3
billion US dollars in tourism sector (Sevenpillarsinstitute.org, 2019). Apart from the large
scale industries, the government of the mentioned nation was observed to claim that the mega
event enabled them to earn a sum nearly 223 million US dollars from the small scale
industries (Brasil.gov.br, 2019).

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Social Impact:
The mentioned event was significant for the Brazilian society in many of the aspect
such as the increment in the employment, the development of the infrastructure of the nation
along with the scope of exhibiting the national culture and the history to attract the tourists.
The occurrence of the mentioned football event enabled the government to generate nearly 1
million jobs out of which 710000 were permanent jobs and 200000 were temporary jobs
(Stadiumguide.com, 2019). The significant generation of the employment was crucial in the
societal development of the nation and the impact of it on the tourism industry was
significantly prominent. With the occurrence of the event, the tourism industry of the
mentioned nation achieved more than 50000 skilled permanent workers which booted the
tourism industry of the nation in a significant manner (Fifa.com, 2019). In addition to the
generation of employment, the event was of great significance for the mentioned nation in
achieving a significant development of the infrastructure.
According to the guidelines of FIFA, the host country of the world cup is in need to
have eight to twelve stadiums with the modern facilities (Fifa.com, 2019). Though the
selected nation is widely known for their excellence in football, the significant investment
from the part of the government in the infrastructural development of the stadiums was
confusing for many of the ministers of the government as well. For example, the stadium of
Brasilia was developed to increase the capacity of it to 71000 (Visitbrasil.com, 2019).
However, none of the teams of the mentioned city belongs to the division A of the Brazilian
Soccer Series. Hence it is pretty evident that the infrastructural development that the
mentioned stadium inherited, will be underused or will be used for the cultural events such as
music show or rock show. Though there was significant amount of ambiguity associated with
the use of the improved stadium in future, the mentioned nation was seen to invest heavily in
the modernization of the stadiums and the increment of the capacity of the stadiums. Apart

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from this, the Federal Court of Accounts of Brazil framed a report in the month of June 2014
where it stated that 10 out of the 26 airports of the nation undergone significant
infrastructural development which was carried out by the national airport authority of Brazil,
Infraero (Infraero.gov.br, 2019).
Environmental Impact:
The impact of the event on the environment of the mentioned nation was significantly
high. The infrastructural development that resulted from the occurrence of the event had the
potential to affect the ecological balance of the nation and that was pretty evident with the
undertaking of the high intensity operations for the development of the stadiums that were
major part of the event. The urgency of the operations that were carried out for the
development of the stadium and the increment of the capacity, is notably evident with the
significant variation between the estimated cost and the actual cost.
Considering the tourism industry, the Central Bank estimated the spending of the
tourists to be 365 million US dollars until the month of June of 2014 (Bcb.gov.br, 2019). The
occurrence of the event increased the business operations of the hotel sector of the mentioned
nation in a significant manner and that is pretty evident with the rise of 45% in the occupancy
rate during the first week of the event (Visitbrasil.com, 2019). Apart from this, the report of
the Forum of Brazilian Hotel Operators was significant in stating the scope of the repetitive
consumption of the tourists with an anticipation of 240,000 hotel rooms booking
(Visitbrasil.com, 2019).
Legacies of sports or special events in enhancing tourism
destination development:
From the significant generation of the revenue, the mentioned nation has the
possibility of improving their infrastructure in the other sectors such as the education or the

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healthcare which are seen to be major concern for the selected nation. With a precise focus on
the mentioned country’s economy and their fight for their survival against the poverty, the
occurrence of such mega event had the potential to improve the condition of the nation and
place them in a better position to fight against the poverty (Goldblatt, 2010). The impact of
the infrastructural development will be of great significance as the achievement of the
modern facilities will enable the mentioned nation to attract the tourists in a notable manner
(Sevenpillarsinstitute.org., 2019) and adding to that, the legacy of these sorts of mega events
is pretty impactful in promoting the regions and increasing the attractiveness of the regions
through the infrastructural development (Preuss, 2013). With a precise focus on the article of
(2016), the means of connecting the tourism destination and the customers is seen to be the
occurrence of the mega event and in spite of an established customer base, the tourism
organization have the necessity of promoting the improved infrastructure of the nation
through the various marketing and promotional activities.
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be said that the success of the tourism business depends
on the marketing and the promotions in a substantial manner and the occurrence of these sorts
of mega events provides the absolute base for the nations in promoting the regions. Adding to
this, the occurrence of the events enables the nations to gain the individual customer base of
the events for the increment of their tourism business. Apart from this, the added benefits of
these sorts of events such as the infrastructural development of the region or the generation of
the increased employment plays a crucial part in the societal development. However, the
success of the events is seen to have enormous contribution towards the effective
management of the existing issues such as the poverty or the lack of funds for the education.
In addition to this, the occurrence of these events is crucial for the nations in gaining the
much required stability and growth in the economy.

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Brasil.gov.br (2019). Home. [Online] Available at: www.brasil.gov.br/centro-aberto-de-
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