Events Portfolio Approach to Developing an Events Strategy - Assignment Example

Name Student Number Tutor’s name Take Home Exam 1. Outline the Events Portfolio approach to developing an events strategy. Why would a destination adopt this strategy? The events portfolio approach to developing an events strategy is an approach that serves to ensure that different audiences receive satisfaction through various types of events such as sporting, special interests, community as well as arts events (Mackellar 131). The events portfolio approach is strategic approach that puts into consideration the timing of the event and also, whether the event serves to create a good fit with the images as well as the resources of the destination. Therefore, the process of the events portfolio approach has various implications as well as opportunities for the stakeholders to make an assessment. Mackellar (131) describes the following implications and opportunities that should be assessed by stakeholders of events including; i. The value of the event in attracting different audiences ii. The value of the community as well as tourist events iii. The audiences special interests for the event so as to ensure more tourists are attracted iv. The contribution of the event to the destination brand as well as the destination image v. The event timing so as to coincide with the times of the year when the numbers of tourists are lowest The event portfolio approach requires that, the event should be planned so as to suit regional, local, and provincial level. It is also useful to suit it to state as well as federal governments. There should be a clarification of the differences between community as well as tourism events and their total effect to the economy as well as tourism. This helps in informing funding as well as the allocation of resources (Mackellar 132). A destination would adopt this strategy since it helps in setting out the major activities in an event. Adopting the event portfolio approach to developing an events strategy by a destination is a way of helping stakeholders in understanding the long term costs as well as benefits of the event. According to Pereira, Mascarenhas, Flores, & Pires (27), a destination would adopt this strategy since it enhances the destination image as the host. It also favors the construction of a destination brand. It is an essential strategy that helps a destination in enhancing coordination or efforts as well as planning of ancillary events that are important to portfolio events that are successful. Raj (107) argue that, this strategy is a useful approach for a destination since it offers good research, funding and sustainable events for a destination. 2. How is White Night being used to develop a new or changed image for cities? The White Night is an annual city wide gala art, music as well as culture that is nebulously defined (Butler 1). It is being used to develop a new or changed image for cities in different ways. It is a culture that is unlocking the doors for artists and studios. Weedon (1) argues that, the White Night is being used to develop a new image for cities through bringing and delivering its goods and services on commissions that are motivating. The audiences are being provided with thumbing live music across four main sites, with bigger displays of projection art and in many places, together with a slide of installations and artworks that come from home as well as abroad. The big spectacles or the four elements of OCUBO are being set to turn city buildings façade into massive canvas through projection. The four sites use two dancers, one aerial circus as well as one synchronised swimmer. These participants usually interact with the projection using a green screen so as to bring the effect of an epic cinema. Here, the White Night makes use of projection mapping together with a human element. Additionally, the building and projection mapping are also used to produce another level of projection (Butler 2). The White Night is also being used to develop a changed image of the city through the use of strange and wonderful installations. For example, the fade is used for a single artist to appear as different artists through the use of lighting as well as the designing of sound and projection of artists to create a whole immersive work all through the night. The colony projection is also being used to demonstrate the Fox colonies and how people can cohabitate peacefully. The colony is usually projected along the city streets and buildings onto a hanging sculpture that is handmade (Milman 1). Live music like the Indie Music Stage is used in White Night festival so as to bring together a breeding ground of local talent. This music is also being played alongside graphic design by artists whereby the stage is bathed with 360 degree projection work which is paired with dulcet vocals. Film Buffs are also used in White Night to provoke the thoughts of the audience. For example, the History Zero film buff was used in Greece to openly confront the current myriad of crisis of the state (Weedon 3). 3. Contrast the cases of film-related festivals at Lone Pine and Jamestown. How did these contribute (or not) to sustainable tourism in these towns? Lone Pine and Jamestown are two American towns that have been extensively utilised as film locations since the 1920’s. The two towns hold film induced festivals as a medium for creating their destination image (Frost 1). There are differences of the festivals. The festivals at Jamestown are known as the Railroad Movie while that held at Lone Pine are referred to as Lone Pine Film Festival. The railroad movie is held at irregular days at the Jamestown railway station. The Movie Railroad Days were known as the Wild West Film Fest and were developed for the purpose of supplementing the ongoing steam rides as well as film related activities (Frost 6). Steam train excursions as well as demonstration of equipment and rolling stock that is unusual are usually held for rail enthusiasts at special events. Film buffs also take place at the Rail Movie film festival whereby panel discussions as well as autograph sessions take place with actors as well as stuntmen who work at Jamestown. Sessions that focus on special effects as well as feature film props from the museum also take place (Union Democrat 3). On the other hand, the Lone Pine Festival is held annually. It is a film festival that started in the year 1990. The major event in this festival involves the screening of different films that are made in Lone Pine. The film festival also holds other activities including; parades, discussion panels, guided tours of locations, concerts, and barbecues. The festival also involves activities like panels of stuntmen as well as children of the stars and a focus on horses in western films (Lone Pine Film Festival 1). The film festival appeals the presence of the people who worked on films at Lone Pine. The film related festivals in these two towns contributed to sustainable tourism through the capturing of the public imagination and increase of tourism flow. They translated the interest that was generated by film into actual tourism through festivals. They created a destination image through adoption of destination marketing organisations like regional tourism associations (Pike 27). The also reshaped their image as well as experiences so as to better fit a film image together with the resulting expectations of tourists. It is evident that, the reshaping of image increased their authenticity in tourism (Roberts & Hall 43). Tourists perceive the festivals on films as valid heritage that is presented in an authentic way. 4. In what sense might we see rural festivals as more authentic than those staged in cities? Illustrate your answer with an example. We might see rural festivals as more authentic than those staged in cities because many festivals involve events that are an adoption of past rituals as well as traditional customs of a particular society. Destination managers usually create these cultural events so as to improve tourism development. Rural festivals are more authentic since they support the local community that city festivals. Additionally, rural festivals also have the capacity to enabling the locals in identifying themselves with what is staged. Tourists are seen to perceive the authenticity of a film festival with its association with the local residents (Brida, Disegna and Osti 1). Rural festivals might be seen as more authentic than those staged in cities since they are events that are linked to the reproduction of rituals as well as cultural characteristics in a more genuine and accurate original form (McCartney and Osti 25). Tourism and event sector are recognising authenticity of events as a factors that attracts tourists and more audiences. Rural festivals are seen to offer the authenticity that the audience requires than those in cities. For example, in a rural event, it is performed by the local residents who are willing to take participation to a genuine representation of their tradition. According to Wang (349), authenticity is defined as something that is genuine, accurate in terms of history as well as with immaculate simulation. This is what rural festival offers and that’s why we might be seeing them as more authentic that those in cities. The cultural events in rural festivals have major effects that establish a sense of pride and place to the local people and this makes them more authentic. Tourists are looking for local identity of the people in festivals which is not offered by those in cities (Hughes 4). Local identity of rural festivals has the impact of tourist satisfaction and encourages more tourists to participate. They might be seen as more authentic since they have the motivating factor to tourists to taste local food as well as drinks and also relaxing. When regarding city festivals, most of them are seen to major on entertainment which may not authentic to tourists. Tourists want to experience events that are majorly purely for tourist purpose and rural festivals offer this category of events. They are unique and offer the opportunity for tourists to interact with local people (Allen et al 6). 5. Why do we need to know the economic impact of an event? How and why is there a common tendency to overstate the economic benefits of events? The economic impact of an event can be described as the whole amount of extra expenditure that is generated in a defined area as a result of staging and event. It is important to know the economic impact of an event so as to capture and obtain evidence of the financial benefits that result from hosting the event (Janeczko, Mules and Ritchie 6). Knowing the economic impact of an event enables the public sector to evaluate their economic return on investment. It also helps in demonstrating how events serve to drive economic benefits by allowing the organisers of events to develop practices that help in maximising those benefits. The economic impact of an event enables organisers to understand the spending by visitors within the area. It enables the organisers to have an estimate of how much they can spend in a similar event in future. Through the knowledge of economic impact of an event, the stakeholders are able establish the net change within a host economy. The event organisers are able to establish the cash inflows as well as outflows that defines the net income. (Kesenne 2) The economic impact allows event organisers to understand the level of impact a particular event has including; basic, intermediate as well as advanced economic impact. There is a common tendency of overstating the economic benefits of events. This is as a result of errors that occur when calculating economic impact calculations. These errors result to overstatement of festival economic impact (Crompton 63). The tendency of overstating the economic impact is due to overlooking of contra factors during calculation. For example, event organisers are found to overlook time switchers which are the tourists who have the possibility of visiting without the festival or the event; however, such tourists did change their schedule so as to coincide their travel the event. Redirection of local funds from other alternative expenses also occurs with loss of revenue from displaced visitor not being accounted (Litvin 481). Crompton (67) argues that, economic impacts are overstated so as to legitimize a political position without the intention of searching the economic truth. Mischievous procedures are then used to achieve large numbers that sponsors of the event seek so as to support a determined position. Generally, the reason for overstating the economic impact of an event is for political gains as well as encouraging as many guarantors for the event as much as possible. Works Cited Allen, J, O’Toole, L, McDonnell, W, and Harris, R. “Festival and Special Event Management.” 2005. Brisbane: Wiley. Brida, J, Disegna, M and Osti, L. “Authenticity Perception of Cultural Events: A Host- Toursit Analysis.” Competence Centre in Tourism Management and Tourism Economics, 2011. Piazzetta University. Butler, E. “Melbourne's White Night festival is Summernants for the middle classes.” The Guardian, 2015. Web 29-5-2015: (http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/feb/24/melbournes-) Crompton, J, 2006, “Economic impact studies: instruments for political shenanigans.” Journal of Travel Research, 45.1 2006: 67-82. Frost, W, “Creating an Image: Film Induced Festivals in the American West.” Working Paper 34. 2006. Monash University. Hughes, G, “Authenticity in Tourism.” Annals of Tourism Research, 22.4 1995: 781-803. Janeczko, B, Mules, T, and Ritchie, B. “Estimating the Economic Impacts of Festivals and Events: A Research Guide.” Sustainable Tourism, Research Report. 2002. Kesenne, S. “Do we need an Economic Impact study or a Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Sports Event?” University of Antwerp, (2005). Litvin, S. “The Economic Attractiveness of Runners: Are they ‘Healthy’ Tourists? Tourism Economics.” 13.3 2007: 481-486. Lone Pine Film Festival. “Lone Pine Film Festival.” 2006. Web 29-5-2015 (www.lonepinefilmfestival.org/index). Mackellar, J. “Event Audiences and Expectations: Government Policy and Public Participation.” 2013. Routledge. McCartney, G, and Osti, L. “From Cultural Events to Sports Events: A Case Study of Cultural Authenticity in the Dragon Boat Races.” Journal of Sport and Tourism, 12.1 2007:25-40. Milman, O. “Melbourne's White Night public art spectacular keeps the city up till sunrise.” Melbourne, Australia culture blog, The Guardian, 2014. Web 29-5-2015: (http://www.theguardian.com/world/australia-culture-blog/2014/feb/23/melbournes-white-night-public-art-spectacular-keeps-the-city-up-till-sunrise) Pereira, E, Mascarenhas, and Margarida, Flores, Adão, & Pires, Gustavo, “Nautical small-scale sports events portfolio: a strategic leveraging approach.” European Sport Management Quarterly, 15.1 2015:27-47. Pike, S, Destination Marketing Organisations, Amsterdam: Elsevier. 2004. Raj, R, and Musgrace , J, Event Management and Sustainability: Critical Success Factors in Sustainable Events, CABI. 2009. Roberts, L, and Hall, D. “Rural Toursim and Recreation: Principles to Practice.” Wallingford: CABI. 2006. Union Democrat. “Movie Railroad Days, Supplement to Local Newspaper.” 2001. Sorona: California Wang, N. Rethinking authenticity in tourism experience.” Annals of Tourism Research, 26.2 1999: 349-370. Weedon, A. “Navigating White Night, Broad Sheet Media.” 2015. Web 29-5-2015: (http://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/entertainment/article/white-night-2015) Read More