Comments on: Big Day gets out, and smaller is probably better

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:56:19 +0000

Chas and Mike Dwyer;
Much of the research and the media’s myopic attention is devoted to to sporting functions that are specifically designed for TV audiences that are broadcast throughout the world.
The commentators devote little or no attention to the arts specific events such as the forthcoming Perth Festival let alone the second biggest Fringe Festival in the world that is an annual Adelaide event. Ben didn’t even mention them last year.
The forthcoming Melbourne Comedy Festival has a worldwide reputation.
Not only do these festivals have a direct economic impact on their local communities but also create and showcase the enormous pool of local artistic talent that would otherwise have to seek work overseas.

By: michael dwyer

michael dwyer — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:30:18 +0000

Economic benefits figures seem to have little relation to reality. In the case of locals attending the event, it is really a reallocation of expenditure, with net benefit zero. Interstate and international visitors do add economic benefit, but a really big event may reduce normal travellers. There is no evidence that extra planes come to Melbourne for the Grand Prix, and it can be assumed that the number of visitors specifically visiting for this event is small. At any given point in time there are probably 50-100,000 overseas visitors in Melbourne. Some may attend the GP, but this would not necessarily be the purpose of their visit. the Australian tennis open may attract visitors, but many are players, coaches etc who have their accommodation and other expenses paid by the organisers. Actually the tennis people don’t make silly claims about economic benefit, but I suspect that the open may be of far greater value than the grand Prix.

By: chas

chas — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:35:40 +0000

Very interesting article. I’ve done some work in events research and inevitably the sponsoring governmental organization /event team wants an understanding of the economic impact of the event as a primary research outcome. Social and environmental outcomes are often only explored in a tokenistic manner if at all. always in the immediate, and never in the broader sense.

The ironic thing is that the far reaching impacts to national identity probably have an economic multiplier that far exceeds the initial impact of any one off event in terms of creating innovative environments, entrepreneurialism and future possibilities for activity. This is what really needs to be measured…

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:21:42 +0000

Yes, why not have BDO in Brisbane RNA, at least you there is public transport, toilets etc, … The last time I went there was a typical storm at southport, and the traffic wardens, in their wisdom, decided that none of the twenty empty buses that would shuttle people to the railway, for the journey to Brisbane, were not to move for A WHOLE BLOODY HOUR…. A joke joke in organisation ,,, never again

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:46:09 +0000

I’ve never understood why the Queensland big day out isn’t held in BrisVegas, and in particular, at the Brisbane show grounds.