A holistic approach to event portfolios:

towards achieving strategic leveraging

objectives

DR J HEMMONSBEY

PROF TM TICHAAWA

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, SCHOOL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY, UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG

NDT research seminar_ Pretoria

20 March 2020

Introduction & Background 1/2

Burgeoning amount of literature on the utilisation of event portfolios.

Mostly large focus on studying single, mega-event types (O’Brien 2006; Grix 2012;

Gibson, Kaplanidou & Kang 2012; Brittian & Beacom 2016).

Leveraging mega-events:

Huge economic impacts (Rolfe, 2019)

Leveraging small-scale events:

Secure long-term sustainable impacts (Gibson et al., 2012)

Portfolio of events integrate mega-, small-scale and community events.

Advanced theory of event portfolios emerged due to symbiosis of event

benefits (Ziakas 2013, 2014)

Introduction & Background 2/2

Edinburgh in Scotland: FestivalsGold coast in Australia: variety of events Innsbruck in Austria: Special

events

Problem statement

While event portfolios are gaining significant attention from theoretical and practical standpoint, ill-defined and specialised event portfolios may lead to:

Fragmented theorisation of event portfolios

Conceptualisation of holistic portfolios

Practical implications for host destinations

This may influence the planning and managing of event portfolios by city

authorities which carries adverse consequences for achieving leveraging

objectives.

This study thus investigates an integrated events portfolio of the Western Cape in South Africa i.o.t explore

consideration to all-inclusive events to achieve leveraging objectives.

Leveraging theory “Leveraging is the collection of strategies and tactics employed to enable the

generation of desired legacies” (Chalip, 2014:6).

Lui (2016) suggests leveraging to be articulated and applied in the context of a portfolio of events, including once-off and recurring ones.

Event leveraging objectives are guided by wide-ranging benefits:

i.e., economic & business, social & community, sport participation, tourism, nation building (Kellet, et al., 2018; Misener 2015; Weed, et al., 2015; Knott et al., 2017).

The application of leveraging theories still remains skewed to the mega-event, regardless of the suggestion of Lui (2016)- to include a range of different events.

This leaves much room for disputing the extant conceptual models of event leveraging that focus on single event types.

Strategic planning of event portfolios

Ziakas (2013; 2014) explicitly investigates and advances the theory and praxis

of event portfolios by underpinning a holistic approach to strategic event

planning and manging.

Event portfolios integrate contextual, operational and socio-cultural

dimensions; as well as reach a diverse set of markets (Getz, 2013; Ziakas, 2014).

Portfolios that encompass critical considerations will maximise cumulative and

long-term value for host destinations (Anderson et al., 2017).

Due to the ability of event portfolios to attain sustainable leveraging

objectives, it is argued that leveraging objectives should be embedded into a

broader sustainable development agenda (Ziakas, 2014).

A policy perspective…

To achieve leveraging objectives, event mangers, together with local authorities,

should carefully coordinate events in conjunction with existing policy goals (Smith 2014).

Suggested pre- event design, implementation and evaluation strategies aim to

address the commonly neglected vision of a formal integrated events strategy that

encompass clear goals, methods and metrics (Getz & Page, 2016; Valdimir, 2017).

Challenges of noncompliance between political actors & agencies exist due to

varied strategic visions/ objectives (Hanrahan & Maguire, 2015; Hemmonsbey & Tichaawa 2018).

Event portfolios should therefore contain a mixture of events that meet various

leveraging objectives to deliver positive outcomes and assure all joint policy

objectives are met, at both national and local levels (Getz, 2013).

Methodology

Research approach Sample size & selection Interview protocol Data coding & analysis

QualitativeIn-depth, Semi-

structured interviews

& Primary documentary

sources

24 key industry

stakeholdersPurposive sampling

Directors & senior

management

Semi-structured

Open-ended questions

All-inclusive events?

Event planning and

management?

Objectives of portfolio?

Atlas. ti codingDisplay, reduce &

inductively coded

Development of themes

guided the discussion

Findings & discussions 1/31. Strategic approach to event hosting

Events (sporting or otherwise) viewed by respondents beyond the immediate

attraction of tourism markets towards long-term potential.

Mega-events are viewed as a starting point for event leveraging but the importance

of major, recurring events are key to “meet the demand for tourism” (R4) and to “fill

the calendar of events”(R6).

“As a result of events such as the

[Cape] Epic, [sport] tourists are

understood to extend their stays with

their families beyond the event”

(R6).

“It is important for us to support community events, like the Nelson Mandela Race, to celebrate the life and release of Nelson Mandela by us contributing financially, we then make it possible that those races take place” (R12).

Findings & discussions 2/3

2. Integrated Events Strategy: a sustainable agenda

While the portfolio of events of the WC supports community events, it aligns with advanced theories and event leveraging by Chalip (2004), O’Brien

(2006), Ziakas (2013, 2014) and Kelly and Fairly (2018).

Jewel events

(Signature events)

Annual events, associated with the area’s identity, that

provide the area with competitive advantage

Incubator

(Brewing events)

Relatively small events that show potential for

developing into jewels

Bidding events

(Major events or mega-events)

Once-off large, compelling, major market events,

whose privilege of hosting is acquired through

participation in a bidding process

Leverage

Events that occur outside the destination, but which

provide a platform for the promotion of tourism, trade

and investment within the destination

Local community events Local community eventsEVENTS PORTFOLIO

Findings & discussions 3/3

3. Stakeholder roles and responsibilities & policy insights

Respondents in government believed that their responsibility to leverage events of

all types should intensify.

The adoption of the IES has led to development,

changes and updates of a number of policy changes National Tourism Sector strategy, 2017

DEDAT: five year strategic plan 2015-2020

Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy 2012-2020

While this is good policy practices, key informant of

provincial government believed that,

“We benefit immensely from

events, so we have a huge

responsibility to leverage for

further benefits” R(12).

“It will take a while to realise the

synergies between sport event

organisers and government, as

they push different agendas and

have very different objectives”

(R11)

Conclusions & implications

All-inclusive events (sport or otherwise) are critical for developing balanced

portfolios.

Careful consideration should be given to objective setting for all parties involved

in event planning, managing and hosting.

Each portfolio is unique to the needs and fit of the host destination albeit the

theoretical and practical underpinnings of planning and managing portfolios

are the same.

Examining of holistic portfolios is significant as it’s focus remains on single events.

Sound event portfolios implicate stakeholder policy development.

Future recommendations

While this study has investigated a portfolio of events of one municipality and

region in South Africa,

it is worth exploring how sustainability frameworks have influenced other major

South African cities to develop designs towards portfolio development

strategies.

It would also be useful to measure the progress and success of integrated event

strategies in terms of their deliverables and strategic goals, since its inception.

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Acknowledgements

NDT for funding the research project.

hemmonsbeyj@cput.ac.za

Tel: 021 680 1549

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-hemmonsbey-306212125/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=Qs4a5s0AAAAJ

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Janice_Hemmonsbey

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1302-324X