Sustainability of Mega Events: A Critical Analysis

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments. This report analyzes the sustainability of mega-events.

The sustainability of Mega Events is a
‘myth’

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The concept of sustainability in the context of mega-events.............................................1
Mega-events and expectations............................................................................................1
Benefits of the mega-events...............................................................................................2
Negative impacts................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................5
References..........................................................................................................................6

The concept of the mega event is normally helpful for the development of the hosting
community and society. The mega-events can provide support for the education, employment
and other services along with effective support to the local and national economy. However,
the sustainability of the mega-events to protect the natural resources and systems, support the
society for employment and empowerment and economic development is not as accurate as
planned to achieve. The sustainability of the mega event implies several other factors to meet
the desired outcomes for the hosting community.
The concept of sustainability in the context of mega-events
Mega events such as Olympics, national festivals and Eurovision have the goal to support the
community for the basic requirements to achieve the growth and continuance whereas they
have objectives to lead the improvements in the health, education, employment and natural
systems. According to Dresner (2012), sustainability means to use the resources and
capabilities in such a manner so that the next generation also can avail the support for the
continuance. However, Blackburn (2012) has justified that sustainability as the process to
optimise the use of the resources to avail them for the long term to assure the continuance of
the operations rather than to consume then in short timeframe (Mol and Zhang, 2012). In the
context of the mega-events, the sustainability means to the empowerment of the hosting
community and location for the continuance in the services and support.
However, the increasing consumptions of the natural and other resources at hosting
destination have impacts on sustainability. Also, the practices and approaches for the
sustainability and integration of the core values within the practices have impacts on the
community.
Mega-events and expectations
With mega events, the main expectation is to achieve positive changes and improvements in
the natural systems, services of the local communities and society and economic
development. For example, the recent Olympic Games in South Korea for winter season and
Argentina for summer season have employed the hosting city whereas it also has exchanged
the culture and social values with the participant countries. The Olympic Games has
enhanced the tourism services at the destination along with hospitality, healthcare and other
services. The overall transportation mediums and approaches are improved to meet the
increased demands (Hall, 2012). However, the expectations of the audience of the mega-
1

events also impact sustainability. For example, the audience is diversified into music,
festivals, cultural programs, sports, adventure and other events. Therefore, the availability of
the audience for the event and festival and their requirements during the event also impacts
sustainability. For example, there was a need for the more tourism related services during the
world cup event whereas high demand of the accommodations and food services are
determined in the Eurovision program.
The mega-events are expected to deliver high employment and health services to the
community so that they can start their practices toward the development of the destination.
The amount of tourism and services can foster their practices for effective outcomes.
However, the situations of the mega-events in the context of the sustainability are different
prior, during and after the events (Gaffney, 2013). The post-results of the mega-events are
somehow conflicting with the sustainability concepts to meet the expectations of the
community, society and the wider global set of the audience.
Benefits of the mega-events
The mega-events are also considered with time for sustainability through the policies and
practices. Movement Agenda 21 has a main focus on sustainability with a focus on the
economic and social development of the community. For example, the Football World Cup
of 2010 in South Africa also has considered the development of the city. The ‘Football for
Hope’ program was created with uniqueness as a movement to achieve competitive social
development in the country. The program has provided a way to the destination to develop
the social environment. Total twenty ‘Football for Hope’ centres are planned to open during
the event, but the centres were continued after the event also to empower the local
community (Vanwynsberghe et al., 2013). Also, the World Cup had brought the opportunities
to the country to achieve the economic growth in the local, regional and national level due to
the sudden increase in the demand of the accommodation, food and beverage, and tourism
services. The overall economic development is achieved as there were several startups during
the year.
London Paralympics Games of the year 2012 also has a strong focus on the economic growth
and sustainability of the mega-events. The Games have focused on effective support to the
natural systems and resources. For example, the core values of the event were to support the
natural resources and capabilities at the destination. Notably, London is the modern and
busiest destination in the world and in such context, it is essential to preserve the natural
2

resources (Vanwynsberghe, 2015). During the Paralympics Games, it is assured that there is
low emission of the carbon and wastage from the production and other operations are
managed sustainably. The event also has created employment which is somehow managed in
the same field or diversified after the event to achieve economic growth.
Therefore, the mega-events play a vital role in the natural resource protection and fostering of
the social and economic developments. For example, the World Cup provides an opportunity
for the country to present the values and services so that more tourism can be attracted,
businesses can be empowered or motivated for starting and establishment, the local
community can get employment and better lifestyle, and cultural values can be adopted.
However, the management of the benefits with the mega-events is within the boundaries of
sustainability. Sustainability of mega-event has impacts of the political arrangements,
supports and availability of the resources and capabilities in the hosting cities (Gaffney,
2013). Besides it, a sustainable balance with the organisation of the mega-event is required.
The profitability and returns as expected with the mega-event are assured to achieve to
continue the mega-events and concept of the sustainability in the practices.
Negative impacts
The benefits of mega-events and sustainability cannot be appraised without the consideration
of the negative impacts. The destinations that have faced the organising of the mega-events
and festivals also have faced the negative impacts on the economic developments, stability in
employment and positive growth of the society and community (Holmes et al., 2015). For
example, there is a need for the effective arrangement of the tourism services during the
Eurovision song contest. The destination faces the lack of employment; travel services and
exceed in or unconsumed accommodation and food services. There are only a sudden
increase and a fall in economic growth, and there is no sustainability within the local society
and community.
The employment opportunities and societal growth might be for short term, and the
destination has fewer benefits to achieve completive growth whereas there are also several
other negative impacts. For example, high production and consumption is another major
requirement of the mega-events so that the destination faces the constraints in the services
after the completion of the event. Also, the natural resources and systems are compromised
several times to assure that the event has enough space and environmental supports for the
3

outcome. For example, the large grounds, long roads and wider stations are created for the
landing of the vehicles and organisation of the event and for that; the destination has to
compromise with the availability of the forest and other natural resources (Gaffney, 2013).
The wildlife is also impacted by the cutting of the trees and de-mountain process.
The mega-events in South Korea have influenced the destination for the mixture of cultural
and social values and so that there are major conflicts for the social structure and supports.
Also, the countries relationship with other destination has got impacted due to the events. The
mixing of cultural and social values has empowered the community to learn from other
countries and their practices.
4

Conclusion
The mega events and sustainability is not a myth, but the integration of the core five
principles of sustainability is complex to achieve. The proper focus on economic growth and
education, travel and health services is required to achieve sustainability. The natural
resources and capabilities of the destination are required to preserve so that the availability of
the raw material and natural attraction toward the destination can be managed. The mega-
events also have to consider the post-event impacts to reduce the negative impacts. Besides it,
the sustainability of the mega event is positive when the community and social environment
reflects the positive changes and improvements. However, in most of the mega-events, the
changes are not effective enough to prove that the sustainability of the mega event in term of
the environment protection and social and cultural development are myth whereas the
economic developments are identified toward the sustainability.
5

References
 Blackburn, W.R., 2012. The sustainability handbook: The complete management
guide to achieving social, economic and environmental responsibility. Routledge.
 Dresner, S., 2012. The principles of sustainability. Routledge.
 Gaffney, C., 2013. Between discourse and reality: The un-sustainability of mega-
event planning. Sustainability, 5(9), pp.3926-3940.
 Hall, C.M., 2012. Sustainable mega-events: Beyond the myth of balanced approaches
to mega-event sustainability. Event Management, 16(2), pp.119-131.
 Holmes, K., Hughes, M., Mair, J. and Carlsen, J., 2015. Events and sustainability.
Routledge.
 Mol, A.P. and Zhang, L., 2012. Sustainability as global norm: The greening of mega-
events in China. In Olympic Games, Mega-Events and Civil Societies (pp. 126-150).
Palgrave Macmillan, London.
 Vanwynsberghe, R., 2015. The Olympic Games Impact (OGI) study for the 2010
Winter Olympic Games: Strategies for evaluating sport mega-events’ contribution to
sustainability. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 7(1), pp.1-18.
 Vanwynsberghe, R., Surborg, B. and Wyly, E., 2013. When the games come to town:
Neoliberalism, mega‐events and social inclusion in the Vancouver 2010 Winter
Olympic Games. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 37(6),
pp.2074-2093.
6