The Impact of the London Olympic Games on the City's Development - Case Study Example

London Tourism Development Planning and Management (London The thriving tourism in UK brings in billions of returns for the British economy. Tourism is particularly considered as one of the greatest providers of employment in the country. It has already provided over 1 million jobs and is still employing more. In the case of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games, the even is expected to be even more than just a sporting occasion. Particularly, the sporting event is also considered by the nation as a venue in which it could showcase itself not just to tourists and foreigners visiting the country but also for local citizens who also take the time to spend their holidays and vacation in the country. Because of the potential brought upon by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and the opportunities it renders, the country is set on maximizing and improving all aspects in its tourism sector in order to particularly match the global demand and trend that has emerged pertinent to tourism. More than guaranteeing the nation’s utmost performance and victory during the sporting event, the country has also taken time to build up its tourism sector through several strategies linked to the world-renowned event. Particularly the tourism industry together with leisure as well as hospitality industries in this case, stands for all kinds of businesses. These businesses rangers from multinational owned hotel, corporations to locally owned restaurants. Also included are the numerous theme parks and museum facilities that could be found in certain regions of the country. Particularly the scope of these businesses ranges from presenting parks for leisure, venues for holidays and the entertainment of guests. London 2 In order to build up the tourism sector of the country in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games, there are several strategies and plans that the country itself plan and laid out. There are several objectives for the strategy presented for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and these are: Include all UK business in the nationwide campaign. The campaign targets both the domestic and inbound markets. It particularly aims to boldly and distinctively label the country with a diverse representation. This specific representation is intended for the presentation of the context of the manner in which to welcome both the domestic as well as overseas visitors. Enhance and build up the international perceptions of Britain. The strategy is particularly aiming in developing the image of Britain as premier tourist destination through precise country branding and a premier manner of welcome. Apart from the building it up as a premier tourist destination, the strategy also aims on improving the image of the country in terms of investments, education as well as culture. Enhance the skills of the country’s labor force. The strategy intends to develop the management and employment of the sectors and businesses involved in the tourism industry in order present the best possible services to every individual. Take full advantage of the opportunities that come along with the increasing business events and visits. London 3 To distribute the “profits” to the various parts of the country. The strategy aims on providing benefits to different regions of the country coming from the sporting event and tourism opportunities. There are several players involved in the strategies presented for the development of the country in preparation for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games. Firstly, the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is one of the major organizing committees of the event and they are particularly in charge for the preparation as well as staging of 2012 Games. They specifically organize the events that would constitute the sporting occasion which basically draws the people from all over the world. The second key division in the strategy is the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). This is the communal body in charge for the development and structure of the new locations and infrastructure for the Games. There are six fundamental themes in ODAs work, these are: employment and skills, blueprint and convenience, impartiality and enclosure, sustainability, health and safety, and legacy. Another committee is the Olympic Board. It gives supervision, strategic organization and checking of the whole 2012 Games project. It also guarantees the delivery of the commitments rendered to the International Olympic Committee. London 4 Other key stakeholders of the group is the Mayor of London, who ensures the sporting event would indeed greatly benefit the citizens of the area; the Department for Culture, Media and Sports, essentially this department works closely with the other stakeholders of the event and they are in charge of putting together the initiatives brought by the Olympic Games; international UK partners and the Nations and Regions Group. Benefits and Costs The idea of pursuing corporate profit in economics is well-matched with the usually coined the quest of moral goals in society as well as ecology. Although it might seem as a striking thought and provided that the Olympics were a classical corporation, it is still a fact that such conception would be achieved in practice. In theory, there’s nothing wrong with attempting to accomplish different things at the same time. It is innate in human beings to handle multiple tasks, however with hopes of having a sporting occasion, and the infrastructure that comes along with it, could transform east London round is a little out of reality. Although there is the clear indication that countless jobs would be created and that it definitely beneficial for people and even though it has been repeatedly indicated that there would be the influx of spectators and that it could provide a boost for the hospitality industry throughout London, it is still depended on the matter if the event would really come out as an ‘international showcase for London’s culture and creativity’. There is the particular truth that after the event, the sporting occasion would definitely leave a legacy particularly in the infrastructure, it is not just all that. London 5 The fact is that prior to the Olympic bid and the winning of London for it, Britain previously showed off Europe’s biggest regeneration venture and that is through the development of the Thames Gateway. It has been specifically indicated that the Gateway, which was along the thought of 120,000 houses would restore east London and far and wide 40 miles east to Southend in Essex and Sheerness in Kent, is at present a painstakingly disjointed project. It has been particularly questionable whether a similar venture such as the Olympics would be a success instead of arriving at a similar ending. The majority of the improvements that the Olympics event is bringing upon are quite impressive. For instance, it has been particularly indicated that stations are bound to be refurbished and cycle lanes would even be provided. The case of transport presents that, for east London, the Olympics carry with it too modest innovation and it came way over than it should it have been. The sporting event is to be celebrated in its real context however it has been noted that there should be emphasis on other details. For instance, the fundamental idea of an Olympics ‘legacy’ is traced back from what economists maintain on referring to as a ‘positive externality’. The Games, as the arguments have been stated, would have optimistic, advantageous economic side effects that are outside of and further than the direct and time-restricted dealings involving the organizers, workers, contractors as well as paying spectators. However considering the hard-edged economics of globalization, the proof that foreign investors carry with them the ‘spillover’ of information and knowledge to host countries could be very diverse. London 6 There is no doubt that the improvements set for Olympics would permit people to make it to work in and from east London without so much effort compared before. However such externalities to the month-long Games involved are difficult to quantify. The environment On another note, the Olympic Board has felt the need to manage with the existing culture picks up as the expected disadvantage of the Games and that is their carbon footprint. The Board puts forward the argument that the footprint of the Games would just be the least. They have claimed that the Games would be a public transport Games and essentially there would just be a low-carbon Games. Particularly it has been indicated that the public transport, buildings, merchandising and catering are low when it comes to their greenhouse gas emissions and that they would also assist in defining a different set of accountancy regulations in the name of future Games. The ODA’s aim is that a part of the building materials would be tranported on or off the Olympics site through a barge or a rail. As an effect, with British Waterways, the ODA would generate new water and lock control scheme at the delectably named Prescott Channel. This is done so in order for the 350-tonne barges to acquire access could be considered as another step further a step forward. Although these Green catchphrases on the Olympics are empty, the whole idea and though regarding the carbon footprints is doubtful. References: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (2008). Winning: A tourism Strategy for 2012 and beyond Executive Summary. Retrieved from: http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications /tourismstrategyfor2012_exsummary.pdf. Industry needs to get on track for 2012 Olympics. (2008). Retrieved from: http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/09/11/323351/industry-needs-to-get-on-track-for-2012-olympics.html. Woudhuysen, J. (2008). The ‘Regeneration Games’, London, 2012: A Battle in Print essay from the Battle of Ideas 2008. Retrieved from: http://www.culturewars.org.uk/index.php/site/article/ the_regeneration_games_london_2012/. Read More