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Special Interest Tourism & Sochi ’14- Aritro Dasgupta

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Special Interest Tourism

•Special Interest Tourism (SIT) involves group or individual tours by people who wish to develop certain interests & visit sites/places connected with specific subject

•The members in the group tend to have same / similar hobbies / interests

•Set of activities which differentiate the tourists

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Classification of SIT

•Active- sports, cycling, hiking, skiing, sailing

•Social- youth tours, clubbing •Educational- cooking, language schools •Discovery- Antarctic exploring,

Galapagos expeditions•Hobbies- wine tasting, garden tours,

flower shows

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Classification of SIT

•Challenge/ Excitement- climbing Everest, trekking

•Relaxation- cruising, canal boats, camping

•Health & Therapy- spa holidays, medical tours

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Factors that Opened up SIT Market•Development of winter sports•Increase in paid holidays •Social changes leading to cash rich / time

poor consumers seeking better quality / stimulating holidays

•Development in specialist equipment & systems

•Regeneration of urban areas increasing their appeal

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Case of Sochi Winter Olympics

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Winter Olympics

•Started 1924, held every 2 years•After 1992, next held in 1994 to shift the

cycle away from years when Summer Olympics were held

•Includes all major sporting events held during winter months across countries where temperatures remain cold for much of the year

•Mountains necessary for conducting

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Sochi 2014

•Held in February 2014•First time held in Russia•Sochi lies on Black Sea coast •Sochi unusual choice for Russia; a country

that remains frigid for much of the year; Sochi experiences relatively sub-tropical conditions

•Presence of Caucasus mountain range •First time Winter Olympics held on

seaside

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Sochi 2014•Sochi geographically surrounded by ‘freedom

movements’ in Chechnya & Dagestan as well has hostile nation of Georgia

•Political reasons played major role in Sochi’s bid success; became centrepeice of new Russia

•Also held amidst backdrop of Climate Change meaning artificial snow had to be hauled in

•US$ 51 billion spent makes it the most expensive Olympic Games ever (Vancouver 2010 cost US4 7 billion)

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Disciplines

•Alpine Skiing•Biathlon•Bobsleigh•Cross Country Skiing•Curling•Figure Skating•Freestyle Skiing•Ice Hockey

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Disciplines

•Luge•Nordic Combined•Short Track speed skating•Skeleton•Ski Jumping•Snowboarding•Speed skating

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Alpine Skiing

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Biathlon

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Curling

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Figure Skating

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Ice Hockey

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Snowboarding

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Speed Skating

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Ski Jumping

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Bobsleigh

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Luge

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Skeleton

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Major Challenges Met by Sochi Team

•Transportation of millions of tons of snow•Flattening of surfaces at parts of the

Caucasus to enable railway lines •Building of infrastructure- downhill & flat •Development of Sochi International

Airport

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Failures on Tourism Side

•Record breaking cost of construction created unsustainable costs for the locals

•Environmental wreckage of the Caucasus belt

•Bureaucracy meant Visa applications took longer time & greater amount of money

•Sochi surrounded on all sides as a terrorism target

•Leaked stories of cronyism put people off

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Failures on Tourism Side

•Biggest drawback being a comparative lack of snow

•Travel time inconvenient (especially track between Sochi & Kransaya Polyana)

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Legacy?

•Winter Paralympics to be held within 2 weeks of end of Olympics

•Formula 1 track for Russia Grand Prix ‘14 near the site

•One of the proposed football stadiums for 2018 World Cup

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Major Ethical Dilemma

•Should major sporting events be held outside the traditional axis of North America & western Europe on logic of spread?

Or•Should they continue in the traditional

axis to reduce costs spiraling out of control & ensure better legacy?