Special Event and Festival

Tourism
Producing an Event
 Context: Events as Part of
Producing a Destination
• Local, regional, and mega events are almost always part
of an already existing larger set of tourist attractions.
• It therefore complements and competes with them at the
same time.
• Increasingly integrated and managed as comprehensive
Urban Tourism Products
– They “produce” the city (but also countryside) as destination
– Affect city’s cultural economy = competitiveness
• Events can be organized according to narratives and
genres of experiences
– roughly related to segments but conceptually useful in managing
and planning event mix.
 Definition
• Characterized by a specific theme
designed to attract spectators or visitors
to a specific location where they are
invited to participate, learn, watch, and
enjoy a temporally limited and spatially
confined occurrence.
 What makes an event ?

• An event = “anything that happens, as

distinguished from anything that exists”
(dictionary definition)
• An occurrence, especially one of great
importance
• An event is generally about celebrating or
commemorating a special occasion (60th
anniversary of D-day, Independence)
 The nature of events – settings and
scales
There are many different types of event, taking
place in different settings, and on very different
scales
• Personal events (e.g., 21st birthday party)
• Private events (e.g., company events)
• Commercial events (e.g., trade shows)
• Public events (e.g., festivals, exhibitions, galas)
 More Definitions

• “A special event is a one-off happening

designed to meet specific needs at any
given time”
• “Local community events may be defined
as an activity established to involve the
local population in a shared experience to
their mutual benefit”
 Conceptual Viewpoints
• Events are an attraction.
– Prompting local, regional, international travel.
• Events build audiences through multiple forms of
experience (‘‘genres’’).
• They are dynamic cultural attractions.
– Possibility for peak experiences
• They serve as a ‘‘pull’’ to the destination.
• They may have festival character
– Advantage of event with festival character?
– one must be present to participate in the festival.
A Theory of Event Consumption
• The Olympic Games attract an audience that is larger and more
inclusive than any other sport event.
– Consequently, there has been substantial effort to learn from the
Games in order to market other events more effectively.

• Research findings suggest a theory of polysemic structures

– The theory holds that the Olympic Games attract the attention they do
because the Games offer a array of potential meanings to audiences.
– These are multiple pathways into Olympic interest, each of which may
be particularly appealing to one or more audience segments.
– As the viewer becomes interested through one of these pathways,
other sources of meaning become more salient, and interest can be
enhanced.
The theory of polysemic structures

• The theory holds that the polysemic character of

the Olympic Games is made possible by
– Multiple narratives
– embedded genres
– layered symbols.

• It is argued that these three elements can be

built into other (i.e., non-Olympic) events.
• Recent research suggests that doing so can
enhance their appeal.
• Narrative:
– Stories that can act as a “hook” into a (sport) event.
– stories should be structured in ways that symbolize existentially
important concerns of the target markets.
• Linking athlete personality to achievement
• Retellings classic myths
• Symbolic oppositions

• The challenge for event marketers is to develop and

promote a broad array of stories that can be associated
with the event, presenting various target markets with
symbolic content.
• Embedded Genres:
• An event can be much more than merely one
thing, such as a sport event, or a music event, or
a business event.
– Two other genres need to be provided: festival and
spectacle.
• Successful events provide substantial
opportunity for social interaction and ancillary
(non-sport, non-music, non-business)
entertainment (i.e., festival and spectacle).
 Festival Character
• For example, at events designed to attract participants, the
opportunity to parade and celebrate the subculture that participants
share has been found to be important.

• This is also true in spectator events, where a shared subculture of

interest (e.g., motorcycling) or fanship may be a significant source of
attraction for attendees.

• Spectacular entertainment is provided as an adjunct to some events

– half-time shows
– fireworks displays
– opening and/or closing ceremonies.
Layered Symbols:
• Meanings obtained through events are vital
sources of audience interest.
– Meanings are made significant to audiences through
symbols.
• Olympic symbols include logos, colors, awards,
banners, flags, uniforms, and anthems.
– These symbols are not merely present; each is posed
with others –layered – to engender a sense of the
sacred.
 Application
• Goal: obtain public support in Australia for Syd
Fischer’s America’s Cup entry.

• Context:
– a yacht that was initially named “Sunshine”.
– syndicate behind the yacht needed to raise US$3
million in order to mount the America’s cup campaign.
– They had two months to do it, but could not interest
Australian corporations.
– The boat’s marketing consultants had to act.
 Create a spectacle and a festival
• to capture media attention and public
interest the boat’s launch took place on
dry land at an official unveiling in the
middle of Sydney.
– The spectacle was created largely by the size
of the boat (16 stories tall and 30 tons).
– On the day of the official unveiling, a festival
was added by including cheerleaders, bands,
balloons, ribbons, and celebrities.
– Tens of thousands of people came to watch.
 Narratives and Spectacle
• In the build-up to the launch/unveiling, two
narratives were fostered:
– keel became a core symbol around which the
launch was constructed: “Sydney’s Secret
Weapon”
– To fuel speculation and enhance the resulting
narrative, armed guards and guard dogs were
placed on duty around the boat’s keel.
• From Sunshine to “Steak 'N' Kidney”
– Identification with the people.
– symbolically, the yacht became the entry of
average Australians.
– Masses began donating the funds necessary
to support the yacht’s campaign.
 Conclusion
– re-launched the boat (event) using tactics that
blended narratives, genres, and symbols in
the manner prescribed by the theory.