World Tourism. South Africa as host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup set the ideal stage for the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) inaugural Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega Events in Johannesburg from 24 to 26 February. The summit was attended by some 450 delegates from 35 countries. It provided a first-of-its-kind platform for best practice and knowledge sharing towards mega-events excellence.
UNWTO has been actively advocating to position sport and mega-events in national tourism development strategies and maximize their potential as driver of growth and development. The growing numbers and effects of mega-events at both global and regional levels; the economic and social benefits for host nations; and the massive multimedia opportunities for nation branding and promotion, are among the key aspects to be considered.
One of the main outcomes of the Summit was the recognition of the need to continue working to understand better the impacts of mega-events in tourism. Proposals include issues such as greening guidelines for mega events, a knowledge repository on the management of mega-sporting events, and a rethinking of the way the costs and benefits of these events are evaluated.
