Along came a mega-event : prospects of competitiveness for a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ host city

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Authors

Kruger, Elizabeth Ann
Heath, Ernest Thomas

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Publisher

Routledge

Abstract

South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ came at a time when countries and cities worldwide were increasingly competing for this sought-after status. The benefits and challenges of such an event have received significant attention from researchers and practitioners alike. No tourism destination is guaranteed long-term competitiveness by being offered the once-off opportunity to host a major international event. This study aimed to determine whether a mega-event would make a greater or lesser contribution to the long-term competitiveness of the host destination given the extent to which it was being addressed at a strategic level. Existing literature on destination competitiveness and mega-events was studied to identify relevant issues that would have to be addressed at this level. Primary and secondary qualitative data were collected from a host city on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to place these issues into perspective. The empirical findings indicate how a mega-event can contribute to the competitiveness of a destination if it forms part of a broader event strategy; if the necessary leadership is in place; and stakeholder roles have been clarified.

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Keywords

Destination competitiveness, Mega-events, Stakeholder perspectives, Event strategy, Case study, 2010 FIFA World Cup™

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Elizabeth Ann Kruger & Ernest Thomas Heath (2013) Along came a mega-event:prospects of competitiveness for a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ host city, Current Issues in Tourism, 16:6,570-590, DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2012.714748