Analysis of Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy - Case Study Example

EVENT MANAGEMENT Name Institution Course Professor Date EVENT MANAGEMENT Introduction Event management involves a complex system of activities that vary depending on the size of it. According to Jones (2014, p. 1), the process becomes better managed through the employment of the Sustainable Event Alliance (SEA). SEA provides a viable plan to achieve the proper event management. In particular, SEA provides a systematic realization of the commitment, skill-set, objectives, diagnosis, and action. The imperative is the role of event management in tourism, an important industry who success depends on the development and implementation of a perfect plan during an event. Events covered in the tourism sector include those that provide significant impact on the economy, social, and cultural growth of the people. Two common categories of events exist including the Mega and Hallmark event. The categorization follows the scale and impacts of the occasion to the individuals and in tourism as an economic activity. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a discussion on the difference between the two events. It achieves this through an in-depth analysis of their characteristics and role in encouraging tourism. Moreover, the paper provides a discussion of an example of each category to enhance the understanding of their differences. Mega Events Muller (2015, p.627) explains that the definition of mega-event including its classification varies with the different scholar. Much classification recognizes sporting events such as the Football World Cup, the Olympics examples of mega-events. However, others consider political summits and expo as important events fitting the category of a mega-event. According to Muller (2015, p.628), the primary area to find regarding the definition which is also part of the characteristic is the size of the event. About size, four distinct features of visitor attractiveness, cost, transformational impact, and mediations reach emerge as distinguishing identifiers of size. Mega-events primarily focus on tourism through ensuring high visitor participation through attendance to the events. Muller (2015, p.628) explains that the number of visitors is part of the essential attributes that qualifies an event as mega and not any other category. With a projected massive visitor outcome to the game, there is the issue of expenditure to effectively manage the influx of visitors in a region or country. Moreover, there is the economic impact on tourism, trade, and business through the period of hosting the event. Scholar present the level of attractiveness regarding the case from the number of tickets purchased with equates to the degree of spending during the event. The standard of media coverage is an important feature that qualifies an event into the existing categories. Usually, mega-events receive an extensive coverage from both the traditional and new media. Based on Muller (2015, p.630), mega-events carry the feature of a vast number of accredited media personnel from different countries. An example is the over 24000 media professionals present during the London 2012 games. Today, media the extensive media coverage in these events not only promote the importance of the case on a global level but act as valuable marketing tools for the city and country. Muller (2015, p.632) explains that both the media and tourist attractiveness present the feature of the level of attention generated through the mega-events. However, these events cost massive amounts of dollars that exceed the expenditure of other activities such as Hallmark and local community events. The cost includes the development of infrastructure to accommodate the projected number of visitors, investment to boost transport within the city and the venues, increasing security, and event organizing (Muller, 2015, p.632). Moreover, there is the complexity and integration of projects to achieve the efficient satisfaction of the participants as well as the audience to these events. Muller (2015, p.632) elaborates on the significant public investments characteristic of the events. Usually, there is much acquisition of loans to cater for the planning and organizing the events with an aim to acquire return of investment by the end of the event. The imperative is the level of urban transformation achieved through the mega-events. The discussion by Muller (2015, p.633) identifies the opportunity for a city to host the event as being central to long-lasting development. It is evident that the events attract investors in different industries managing to acquire funds that otherwise would not be available had it not been for the mega-event. In this case, these developments provide both positive and negative impacts which are an accurate representation of the mega-events. According to Muller (2015, p.633), mega-events identification occurs through the presence of long-lasting consequences that could be either advantageous or disadvantageous. Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy Muller (2015, p.634) highlights important characteristics that define a mega-event. The volume of the events includes a large number of visitors from all nationalities, massive media coverage across the globe, enormous costs in its planning and management and large impact on the people and the environment. Looking at the Expo in Italy, it qualifies in terms of the number of participants. In particular, the event saw the participation from 145 countries and 17 organizations. Moreover, the event attracted a visitors number of 22, 200,000. Moreover, Muller (2015, p.637) provides other characteristics typical of the event including a temporary management team, fixed date or schedules, and political involvement, especially in setting rules and regulations. Apart from setting rules, the government through its bodies proceeds to own rights to the events. Bidding, as a process, to obtain a project, in particular, those that lead to urban transformation is also a vital component that characterizes mega-events. These projects contribute to another characteristic that includes a vast number of projects that depend on each other to achieve an overall success (Locatelli & Mancini, 2014, p.285). Examples of projects in the establishment of the Expo include the construction of the pavilions representing the different participating countries, advertising, communication, and infrastructure (Locatelli & Mancini, 2014, p.286). The particular projects are complex and heterogeneous creating enormous challenges in their execution. The international Expo as an example presents a case of these challenges in managing the event, especially about the changes in the plan owing to different ideas of the stakeholders. Moreover, according to Locatelli and Mancini (2014, p.285), these projects have a completion deadline that constitutes part of their characteristic as well as that of the mega-events. The performance of the projects during the Expo Milano 2015 required completions before its opening in the May of the 2015. The imperative is the bringing together of different partners through singing of temporary contracts. The Expo in Italy saw the government engaging in contracts with air flights for navigation, food industries such as Coca Cola, McDonalds, and Cisco for internet and network solutions during the course of the event. The imperative is the purpose of the expo which sort to address international matters concerning energy and the planet. The activity of the exhibition provides a typical difference between hallmark events and mega-event about their audience and purpose. Moreover, it is important to realize the importance of its themes in promoting international tourism especially those involving culture, traditions, and creativity. Through exploring various countries identities and produces and achieving a mass advertisement through the media coverage, it is evident that the holding of the Expos is not only a mega event but a boost to international tourism. Hallmark Events In regards to Getz (2012, p. 48) defines hallmark events as those governed by an aim to fulfill specific goals that identify a particular community. An important characteristic of the case that generates an understanding of their difference to the mega-events is their duration usually shorter and occurring more frequent compared to the later. Getz (2012, p. 48) provides their purpose as being that of promoting tourism about the host country unlike in mega-events where there is both domestic and international tourism realization. Hallmark events concentrate in marketing the destination as a tourist attraction, especially with the constant holding of a particular event and identifying the specific event to the destination. An example is the Boston Marathon held annually. Boston Marathon Couto, Wang, and Litwin (2016, p. 27) provide an identity of the hallmark events describing them as being iconic. The term applies to the socialist aspects of the events which not only present or market a society but also achieves the goal of building an identity. Moreover, Getz (2012, p. 51) compares the iconic character to something that creates value to a particular culture. It is important to note that iconic cultural objects include the people, places, and things. In the case of the Boston Marathon, the event not only presents the value of the people but celebrates the freedom of the country and its foundation. It is an important hallmark of the people of the United States continuing the observance of a traditional event that is historical to the people of the US. An important characteristic of these events involves the specificity of the goals which include the attractiveness, identity building, marketing, image and branding. Concerning the Boston Marathon in identity building, the holding of the race in its particular location allows the people of US, especially the state of Massachusetts to have an international recognition. It is especially important in marketing and image branding since the race highlights of a people who are proud and active in preserving their culture and identity. The inclusion of other types of races manages to represent the difference in people, which also provides a form of identity and recognition. Different from the mega-events, hallmarks do not carry a typical size regarding capital generated or invested or the numbers of the visitor attractiveness. The primary goal of the hallmarks is to celebrate a particular culture and encourage tourism through the event. It is from these reasons about their goal that their main areas include sports events, arts, and lifestyle. Nevertheless, the media performs an important role in its marketing such as the continued growth in the Boston Marathon both regarding the number of participants local and international and the numbers of the visitors. Moreover, the growth and its development interpret to more revenue through tourism collected throughout the period of the game. Therefore, their main challenge is the level of attractiveness to the public both national and international in order to enhance the tourism of the US and the state of Massachusetts. In discussing the characteristics of the hallmarks, Getz (2012, p. 53) identifies the nature of idealism as a vital component in hallmarks. Idealism identifies the particular events within a destination that signify the culture and its peoples. The identified activities will then act to advertise the destination as a tourism attraction leading to both economical and personal development. Moreover, much as the events performance occurs through a particular periodic frame, they vary regarding their plans to improve the visitors’ attraction (Getz, 2012, p. 53). Changes about the Boston Marathon elaborate the continued innovation in the planning of the event. An example is the inclusion of women in these races acting to increase its attractiveness and tourist volumes. Conclusion In summary, event planning is an interesting phenomenon that varies depending on the features and characteristic of the individual event. Mega-events are large regarding spending, people and the projects included. Comparatively, the hallmarks are smaller regarding participants and the cost. It is important to note that hallmarks aim to provide a cultural and social identity, whereas the mega-events seek to promote an international growth, especially in the tourism industry. However, both events perform a central role in promoting tourism through attracting multi-national participants and media coverage. References Couto U., Wang, C. and Litwin, A., 2016. Exploring Hallmark Events through benchmarking: The case of Macau. In ATLAS Annual Conference 2016, pp. 27- 40. Getz, D., Svensson, B., Peterssen, R. and Gunnervall, A., 2012. Hallmark events: Definition, goals and planning process. International Journal of Event Management Research, vol. 7, no. 1/2, pp. 47- 67. Jones, M., 2014. Sustainable event management: A practical guide. New York: Routledge. Locatelli, G. and Mancini, M., 2014. Controlling the delivering of projects in mega-events: An application on EXPO 2015. Event Management, vol. 18, no.3, pp. 285- 301. Muller, M., 2015. What makes an event a mega-event? Definitions and sizes. Leisure Studies, vol. 34, no.6, pp. 627- 642. Read More