Hallmark Events: Features, Significance, and Tourism Impacts

This essay defines hallmark events as large-scale happenings that attract global audiences and significantly impact tourism. Using the Commonwealth Games as a case study, the essay discusses key features of hallmark events, including timely and organized planning, high visitor attraction, wide media coverage, substantial costs, transformation of the hosting location, and positive impacts on the hosting community. It also addresses potential negative impacts such as increased crime and health concerns. The essay concludes that hallmark events offer significant benefits, driving nations to compete for hosting rights due to their potential to boost tourism and transform host communities, despite the associated challenges.

Running Head: Hallmark Events 1
Features of a Hallmark Event
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Features of a hallmark event and relationship to tourism
Introduction
A hall mark event can be defined as an all inclusive colossal happening which takes place
in a given location over a period of time. Such events do not only attract a wide number of
participants but also brings on board bid audiences. Hallmark events are in most cases
acknowledged globally hence the audience may not necessary have to travel to the stadiums to
watch the games but can follow the proceedings in front of their screens (Bladen, Kennell and
Abson, 2012, p.50). A good example of a hallmark event is the Commonwealth Games which are
currently going on in Goldcoast, Australia. This event was chosen as an object of references due
to the fact that most of its characteristics fit the definition of a hallmark event. Additionally, the
event attracts many individuals to its location which comes with numerous touristic values to the
hosting country. The massive turn out in the current event in Australia implies that various
individuals from different walks of life have managed to interact with Australia’s tourist
attraction sites which are a lift to the tourism industry (Collins, Jones, and Munday, 2019, p.830)
In this essay, the features of a hallmark event and their touristic significance shall be discussed.
The discussions are derived from peer reviewed articles whose contents shall be adequately
analyzed in a bid to address the topic in question.
Timely/organized planning
According to Bowdin, Allen, Toole and McDonnell (2011, p.57), mega events are always
marked to take place in a given cycle of time. For instance, an event may happen after every two
or four years. The space between the occurrence of one event and a similar one at a later date is
specifically meant to give room for planning and coordination of the various elements considered

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crucial for the success of the event. The authors therefore note that hallmark events require
careful planning where ideas are agreed upon and implemented based on their effectiveness and
level of alignment to the organizers’ objectives. The planning of events is speared headed by a
team of competent individuals each charged with a specific responsibility and standards set such
that the board members are able to gauge their progress during the planning process (Getz,2005,
p.11). The authors also note that careful planning and proper time management before the
commencement of the event plays a crucial role in enhancing its success. They subsequently
suggest that the planning process for hallmark events ought to be strictly guided by the events’
core objectives, aims as well as purposes. This implies that there are targets which the planning
committee must set and yearn to attain.
High Visitor Attraction
As noted by Muller (2015, p.19), hallmark events will never cease to attract a massive
following. As pointed out earlier, these events do not only attract the participants but also does
the audience or fans that come to support their favorite performers especially in cases where the
mega event involves sporting activities. The Commonwealth games which are currently ongoing
have attracted thousands of participants from different corners of the world. In addition, the live
streaming clearly indicates a massive turnout in the stadiums which easily translates to a boom in
the population in major cities especially those surrounding the sporting arenas. The author
therefore emphasizes that hallmark events have the tendency, which has been proven over time,
to attract many people to the hosting location. This provides a unique opportunity for the tourism
fraternity in the hosting nation as they are able to shows their touristic endowments to the visitors
from all walks of life. Despite the fact that the individuals attending the events come objectively
to either perform or support their people, the tourism sector is well in a position to attract

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audience to their side through strategic marketing (Getz, 2007, p.28). For instance, at the
stadiums, the marketers can interact with the fans and participant increasing their awareness
about nearby tourism sites and elements before encouraging them to visit these areas. Hallmark
events therefore go a long way in enhancing both local and international tourism.
Wide Media Coverage
Hallmark events are often global events. As such, it is practically impossible for each
individual to physically attend these events. As pointed out by Arnegger and Herz (2016, p.67),
most people tend to know about these events due to the high media publicity mostly through the
internet, radio and television. The periods prior to the hallmark event is usually punctuated with
consistent awareness through marketing and advertising of the events’ elements, period, location
and the ticket details in case there is no free entry. Apart from the wide coverage during event
marketing, the actual event is streamed live and hence people across the globe get to have a
touch of the proceedings through their screens. The authors explain that good media coverage
works to the very advantage of the hosting nation. The hosting nation has a unique opportunity to
showcase its facilities to the millions of people watching all over the world. In some cases, the
cameras move from the stadiums and roam to cover the beautiful landscapes, water bodies,
museums and parks especially those features located near the events’ main locations (Getz, 2008,
p.420). This in itself shows the world a lot about the country which in turn may arouse interest
among the audience on the need to visit the given country and tour the sites. For instance during
the Commonwealth games, the country’s facilities and high level infrastructural development has
been marketed to the whole world. This has a special way of changing the scope of tourism in
Australia not only today but for many months to come.

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Cost
Kwiatkowski (2016, p. 510) highlights the aspect of high cost as a major feature of
hallmark events. The planning and actual implementation of the events usually involves the use
of many resources. For instance, when the hallmark event involves games like the
Commonwealth Games, the hosting nation has to spend a lot in preparing the participation arena.
This may involve building new stadiums in addition to rehabilitating and repairing the already
existing ones. Such activities are costly hence the need for adequate financial adjustment and
lobby for resources. The preparations are however less of a problem in developed nations since
they already have most of these facilities. However, the author notes that the cost incurred by the
hosting nation while preparing for the event ought to be compensated through other forms of
revenue. The fraternity that comes to mind at this point is that of hospitality and tourism. The
attendees are likely to be booked in hotel rooms and taken around in the course of the event. The
fans who accompany the participants also use these facilities at a fee which serves to the
advantage of the industry (Graham, Goldblatt and Delpy, 2005, p.64). It is however important to
stay strategic with both the products and services in a bid to maximize on the opportunity and
hence develop the tourism sector.
Transformation of the Hosting Location
Janson (2008, p.22) in his article on Review and Analysis of Tourism points out that
hallmark events tend to have long lasting transformations on the hosting nation and more
specifically the hosting locations. When, for instance, the event involves sporting activities, there
may be an inevitable need to create space for the development of stadia. Such moves can see
areas which are basically rural being transformed into urban centers after the inclusion of the

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infrastructure. The author goes on to note that transformation during preparations for such events
may include overhauling of land, creation of new roads, communication systems in addition to
the establishment of other modern set ups. An improvement in the network of roads and
communication system in a given area automatically leads to encroachment of an urban set up.
Hallmark events therefore come and go but they never leave the hosting nation the same again. A
good infrastructural set up is a major boost to tourist activities in any given area. The properly
done roads increase accessibility to such locations (Hall, 2009, p.270). Consequently, the tourists
are able to conveniently move from one place to another as they watch and enjoy the sites. At the
same time, the highlighted communication systems do not only help the locals in these regions
but equally eases exchange and passage of information. Good communication and efficient flow
of information is another factor which facilitates tourism. Janson therefore connects this
hallmark event feature to its touristic significance by noting that urban transformation
encourages mobility which in turn uplifts tourist activities.
Positively Impacts the hosting community
According to Knott, Swat and Viser (2015, p.9), mega events have the unique
characteristic of changing the environment of the hosting location. Despite the fact that some of
these effects may be negative, a good number of the transitions end up altering the living
standards of the hosting community for the better. Hallmark events are accompanied by a
number of economic activities. For instance, the hosting community has an opportunity to sell
their merchandise not only to the participants but the other attendees as well. Depending on the
period that the event takes, the individuals can make good use of this timeline to make exclusive
sales and introduce productive corporate contacts which can in turn help them expand on their
areas of business specialization. As highlighted by the authors, hallmark events tend to have

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positive economic impacts especially on the hosting society. This in turn leads to a rise in their
living standards which also encourages the society’s reception to other government initiatives in
such areas. For instance, when the tourism fraternity earmarks the given society for the
expansion of its activities, the community is likely to remain positive as such initiatives are likely
to enhance their lives economically (Hamilton City Council, 2008, p.2).
Increase in crime, congestion and health factors
As pointed out by Hills (2016, p. 6), hallmark events may not only come with positive
effects on the hosting community but equally involves other features which may be detrimental
to the community in the long run. To begin with, such events usually involve a sudden rise in the
population within a given locality. An upsurge in population attract various other shortcomings
like a sudden increase in criminal activities most commonly picketers and muggers. This may
expose the society in bad light which in turn hinders future human activities in such areas. For
instance, tourists may avoid such locations while citing insecurity as a major issue. Secondly, a
sudden increase in population increases the level of contact between people which leads to easy
spread of diseases especially the contagious ones. The organizers may therefore need to put in
place the right control measures to ensure that such eventualities, however inevitable, do not end
up ruining the success of the hallmark event. Furthermore, in areas characterized by poor
network of roads and communication systems, a sudden upsurge in population due to the
hallmark event may result in traffic clogging which hinders movement of people from one place
to another. A good network of roads would therefore be appropriate in enhancing easy traffic
flow which culminates in the overall event success (Hill, 2016, p.8).

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Conclusion
The discussion above reveals the perceptions and elements that adequately describe a
hallmark event. The events do come with greater good; this explains why most countries are
always dying for the opportunity to win the hosting rights (Holt, 2004, p. 5). A nation has to bid
and prove to the board that it has what it takes to host a hallmark event. This urge could be
attributed to the attractive features that punctuate the phenomenon. Despite the high cost likely to
be incurred especially during the preparatory stages, hallmark events end up making positive
economic impacts on the hosting society (Janson, 2008, p.7). These events also involve wide
media coverage, high visitor attractiveness and most importantly, urban transformation which in
the long run improve the living standards of the hosting nation. The basic prerequisite for the
success of a hallmark event is the formulation of appropriate objectives which guide a proper
planning and preparation period. When each of these aspects are put well in place, the success of
a hallmark event always overflows not only to the organizers and hosting community but also the
country as a whole (Lin, 2013, p.60)

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