Research On Olympic City Marketing

In this paper, the theories such as Olympic economics, city marketing and the Olympic cities are taken as the theoretical basis. By using the research methods of empirical & normative analysis, qualitative & quantitative analysis, and learning from the theory and practice from other areas, the paper not only attempts to build the systematical theory of Olympic city marketing, but hope to be able to validate the theory in the empirical research, so that it can provide a reference and guidance to global Olympic host cities which adopt event-led development strategies, thereby the hosting of Olympic Games can really promote the sustainable development and the competitiveness for the future Olympic cities.Based on research and analysis, the paper concludes:First, the theory of Olympic city marketing is based on the theories of event management, Olympic city and city marketing. The systematical theory of Olympic city marketing consists of five parts, namely:the structure of the Olympic city marketing, path, channel, effect and impact. Olympic city marketing structure includes the main body, the elements and the objects of city marketing. Through the enhancement of the city brand image, Olympic city marketing reach the purpose of attracting tourists, investors/enterprises and the talents/residents, and consequently enhance the urban competitiveness and urban development. There are two communication channels of city marketing:media and tourism. The effects of Olympic city marketing effect are reflected in the tourism, investment and talents. The impact of the Olympic city marketing is embodied in the impact of Olympic city brand image.Second, Olympic city marketing has three effects:tourism, investment and talents effects. Empirical studies of Beijing Olympic Games show that Beijing had a notable increase both in investment and talent, respectively, from 9.26%and 3.88%average annual growth before the Olympic bid rising to 19.93%and 28.75%after the bid, but the increase in tourism was NOT obvious, the total average annual income of Beijing in tourism rose only from 12.28%before the bid to 13.25%after the bid, which indicates that Beijing's Olympic city marketing had a fairly good result, but still did not maximize the benefits.Third, bidding & hosting for the Olympic Games itself is a marketing campaign for the host city, it can not only promote the development of the host city but also help enhance the competitiveness of the host city. The urban development of Beijing by the Olympic Games reflects that it had achieved faster economic growth than that of other Olympic candidate cities; The Olympic Games also had enhanced the urban competitiveness of Beijing, which made Beijing become stronger in attracting the mobile scarce resources (tourists, investors and talent).. Fourth, City Brand Image is equivalent to the city image, which means the general, abstract, rational summary and evaluation on the city from the public. City brand image includes the city's functional image and overall image. Olympic impact on the overall image of host cities can be reflected by internationally authoritative Anholt City Brands Index. From the perspective of previous cases of the Olympic city marketing, all the intentions of Olympic city marketing are to enhance the city image. But from the results of past Olympic city marketing, due to the successful promotion before and during the Games, as Olympic host city of 2000, Sydney has made an enormous return in the city brand image. According to the 2007 Anholt City Brands Index survey, Sydney ranked first above all the global cities.Fifth, in order to perfect Olympic city marketing, the following measurements should be taken:the hosting of Olympic Games should combine with the long-term planning of urban development; at the beginning of the Olympics bidding, a special marketing plan should be developed; a special team of Olympic city marketing must be built and the funds should be ensured; Olympic city must give full play to the role of tourism and media in the Olympic city marketing; Olympic city should focus on the enhancement of city brand image when executing Olympic city marketing; Olympic city should use Olympic Games to accelerate the construction of infrastructure and the improvement of environment; the Olympic Games should be combined with urban development of culture and creative industries.