Measuring the impact of the Olympics
Yes, the Olympics . The Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver, Canada this weekend.
Of course I love:
- • Learning about the host city
- • Learning the athlete back stories
- • Reading Olympics trivia ( for example Pigeon Racing was a sport for a year??)
- • The celebration of national identity (In August 2008, we had a really un-PC opening ceremony at Capstrat for the Olympics.)
I like to believe the Olympics bring a huge transformation to the host city - making international audiences aware of a city.
Barcelona was a wonderful city prior to the Olympics, but the international attention and resulting tourism 18 years later has helped the city flourish . Or has it? Does Atlanta, Georgia enjoy the same international recognition Barcelona enjoys? Sydney, Athens and Beijing were already quite well-known and may not experience the same measurable long-term spike. London will likely perform in a similar fashion.
If the Olympics do not have a lasting tourist-related economic benefit , could there be other indicators that make the event a success? The games in Vancouver this Winter are considered the greenest Olympics event to date and the London Olympics will be even greener. Could the expansion of and increased ridership on Vancouver's light rail be the success measurement?
What do you think Vancouver should use as a success metric?
Comments
I have always wanted to go to Vancouver and now living within a six hour drive I was very tempted to try an attend some of this Olympic events. I didn't pursue it because I wanted a Vancouver adventure that wasn't bombarded with the cheesy glaze of Olympic marketing, not to mention the prices. I am interested to see how the infrastructure changes made during the Olympic prep transform the transportation and facilities in the city. I heard it was an amazing city before the Olympics, hopefully its charm isn't rubbed out by millions of people descending on it at once.
I hope to get up there this summer and will have to report back, an Olympic city 6 months later.
I agree, I am not sure I would want my first visit to a city to be for the Olympics. I was lucky enough to visit Barcelona in '92 just before the Olympics and all of my Spanish friends were really not sure if everything would be completed in time.
Leave a Comment