Impacts of the Euro-2012 on Stakeholders, Essay Example

Impacts of the EURO-2012 on stakeholders have had a diverse response in a myriad of different ways including influences on tourism (such as hotel, airfare, museums, local events, transportation, restaurants, housing), profits (in the areas of transportation, jobs, purchase power, hotels), before/during/after the sporting event, and the strict influence of tourism on tickets, trade, and tourism itself. The Ukrainian stakeholders did not unanimously agree on a direct influence that tourism had on the country, results show that there were well-thought out points for both positive and negative (sometimes neutral) influences on tourism.

Research results prove however, that there is an undeniable link between a country’s growth in capital and mega-sporting events. This growth is proven in the number of hotel rooms booked during these events. Thus, the legacies of the impact of mega-sporting events on hosting countries (in the Ukraine this is seen with 2012 UEFA Euro Cup) had the following effects: acceleration of investments such as in the transport infrastructure, employment rate, spike in currency worth, and a seasonal boon in supplies.

Investigation of long-term impacts of the Euro-2012 on Ukraine’s tourism stakeholders showed that stakeholders believed that the first mega-sporting event would foster economic growth in the Ukraine as any positive results would lead to repeat tourism (projections of which were only rudimentarily mapped out). There was however a prevailing fear among stakeholders that such numbers would decrease over time from the baseline results (2012 UEFA Euro Cup). Thus, there had to be a balance between money spent on making Ukraine presentable for the initial mega-sporting event and the projected revenue such a sporting event would bring to stakeholders.

Stakeholders also spoke to factors hindering tourism in the Ukraine that included hotel, airfare, museums, local events, transportation, restaurants, and housing. Results proved that chief among these was restaurants and local events. These results show that in order for stakeholders to push for tourism in the Ukraine it’s important to foster the cultural aspect and the gain of this aspect to the tourist. Thus, Ukraine’s greatest strength in the tourism industry is its heritage and culture.

There were specific impact examples for the 2012 UEFA Euro Cup with numbers based on the Portugal sporting event. These numbers proved that tourism was a beneficial thing to the country and worth any investment as the return was in the millions. Therefore, money spent on improving the country would only be returned at a certain higher rate during the sporting event. Price for country upkeep had not yet been identified.

With these results there are many suggestions for future tourism and stakeholder revenue. Such suggestions look closely at how travel and tourism directly affect, and contribute, the GDP, how tourists spend their money, and how these numbers can be used to great projections for the future. Some incentive for tourism includes re-visiting Ukraine’s infrastructure such as schools, transportation, etc. The country invested in their transportation by rebuilding sections of their railroad line that had been neglected for over a decade if not longer. Such changes to the infrastructure suggest a need for upkeep. As the results show that tourists are mainly attracted to hotels and restaurants such venues would be a proper place to start in investments. Airports and hostels would be another item on the list of things to invest in. Such investments would impress tourists coming to the mega-sporting event and their online reviews, press exposure, word of mouth, and continued patronage would be a boon to the economy as their time and money would legitimate such spending.

Other avenues of purchase power from tourists include restaurants. Although these establishments are privately owned there are certain steps the nation can take in order to ensure patronage among tourists is exhibited: things such as ensuring roadways to the establishments are in good repair, bus line routes go past restaurants at extended hours during sporting events or on the weekend, five-star hotels are located within a certain vicinity of these restaurants. As some restaurants are located outside of the city limits it’s also important to think about how patronage can be established with tourists to such an out of the way location. Here again stakeholders would be wise to build roads and supply proper transportation to these restaurants: this adds to the authenticity of the restaurant and it bolsters the traditions and heritage experience for the tourists, something that seems to be an incentive in ongoing tourism. Suggestions for bolstering tourism can be categorized into investing in roads, transportation, hotels, and airports. These are the top places/things that tourists are exposed to during their stay.