How events can leave a legacy for a destination
Before the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast Griffith University published the ‘Gold Coast business and the Commonwealth Games: Impact, legacy and opportunity’ paper, highlighting how the business community could gain maximum benefit from and leverage this great opportunity.
“Every dollar of event investment is effectively a dollar invested towards experience and destination marketing” - Tourism & Events Queensland’s Event Guide
This paper reinforces the power of events to drive destination development and growth.
What do you do to ensure that your community and tourism industry gain the most value from events?
Three ways for an event to benefit its community
Collaborate from the beginning!
Many of us understand the power of collaboration and often take the time to share our event marketing collateral with the tourism bodies, develop packages to promote in a campaign, and attend industry functions to network…but many event organisers neglect to bring the tourism body and relevant destination partners on board from the very beginning.
The mutually helpful relationship should begin when you start planning your event, ensuring a specific, planned approach where stakeholders work together throughout the entire event planning process to design the event for maximum impact. For example, your regional tourism organisation can help you develop your event so it appeals to a core target market for the region.
As soon as you are ready to start planning your event you should arrange a catch-up with your destination stakeholders. This is where you can do your initial brainstorm around partnership opportunities, funding support, in kind deals, packaging opportunities and leveraging opportunities. Then you need to keep the communication open and work as a team to drive the goals of the event and the destination together.
Shop Local policy
For more remote destinations this can be a challenge, but where possible all events should try to support local businesses. This is where your event can make a difference and leave a legacy. Think about all the equipment, supplies, staff, entertainment and contractors that you need for your event and always look locally first. Put out a call for local suppliers very early in the planning and take the time to work with them to make it work.
Read more about how your event can create economic value for the community.
Create a destination experience
We know that as event managers our events are great marketing hooks for the destination, but often we overlook how the destination can add value to the event and the attendees experience.
Remember your customer? What do they want? Some will just come for the event, but many are looking for an experience!
This is where you can work with your destination and the tourism operators in the region to create packages, suggested weekend itineraries and bundled experiences related to your event e.g. The ultimate arts and cultural weekend in [your destination].
An event that does this well is the iconic Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, with a whole section of their website dedicated to experiences and itineraries.
But it’s not all up to the event, right?! Destinations and businesses must consider what direct benefits can be gained from the event, and what actions are necessary to maximise these benefits. Everyone has a role to play, and when we all play that role well the overall economy and community will benefit for the long term.
So, what do you do to ensure your event leaves a legacy for your destination?
Master Class webinar: Creating an experience, not just an event!
Our Master Class teaches how to create an event experience for your attendees …that feeling they get from engaging in unforgettable and inspiring activities which touch them emotionally and connect them with special places, people and cultures.
