RESEARCH METHODS LITERATURE REVIEW What are the social impacts of mega-sporting events on the local population? Understanding the local populations' perceptions. Word Count: 1813
RATIONALE AND SCOPE Majority of research conducted on mega-sporting events focuses mainly on the economic impacts of hosting such events (Crompton 2001) because of the positive influences they exerts on economic growth, development, foreign exchange earnings and employment creation (Saayman 2014). However in more recent studies it has been recognised that social impacts are more significant and because local residents are amongst the main stakeholders of tourism development (Li et al. 2014), Xiao and Smith (2006) explain that the social impacts mega-events have on a host community form one of the most important areas of research. Hence studies conducted on social impact perceived by the local community are now becoming increasingly more common, to further investigate the impacts of sporting events (Ohmann et al, 2006). Vanclay (1999) identified social impacts as anything that affects; peoples way of life, their culture, their community, their political systems, their environment, their health and wellbeing, their personal and property rights and their fears and aspirations. EVENT CONTEXT Mega-events are defined by Roche (2000, p.1) as "large-scale cultural (including commercial and sporting) events, which have a dramatic character, mass popular appeal and international significance". Events, specifically sporting events, have grown in numbers and scope significantly and have been recognised as a highly valued component of sport tourism (Ntloko and Swart 2008). Hosting a mega sporting event stimulates both positive and negative, short term and long term benefits for the local community in several areas: economic, tourism, physical, sociocultural, psychological, and political (Delamere 2001). The size of an event has a huge influence; the negative and positive impacts of a mega-event are much more obvious than those of a smaller event (de Nooij 2011). Therefore this literature review will explore the social impacts of mega sporting events on the local community. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims and objectives of this literature review is to identify the social impacts of mega-sporting events, while examining the effect these impacts
have on the host community and explore how the perceptions of residents on social impacts are understood. MAIN BODY Since the 1980's research on mega-events has received much academic attention (Gratton et al. 2001) due to the increasing amount of public money spent on constructing stadiums and facilities to host the event (Liu 2016). There are various benefits associated with hosting a mega-event including, economic development, tourism promotion and image enhancement (Crompton 2001). As mega sporting events have been for the most part used to develop tourism and provide job opportunities (Djaballah et al. 2015), economic impacts have been the main focus for research however, it has since been revealed that some mega-events have had little or no economic impact on the community. For example Allmers and Maennig (2009) conducted a study and discovered that the World Cups held in France and Germany showed no indication of generating positive impacts on tourism, employment or income.