Using the Olympics as an educational resource - a case study on partnership with the public sector

1
Using the Olympics as an educational resource -
a case study on partnership with the public
sector

• Ian Bickerstaff
• Department of Hospitality
• and Tourism Management

2
Background

• The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
  present a number of unique opportunities.
• Benefits will be realized by those competing in
  the games and the support teams for these
  athletes.
• Attraction of tourists after the event has
  finished.
• Spin offs.
• Need to develop infrastructures including the
  development of transport networks, and
  improvements in tourist accommodation.

3
The Opportunity

• Sydney 2000 was watched by an international
  television audience of 3.7 billion people.
• Estimated that this publicity was worth up to
  A6.1 billion (US4.2 billion/3.5 billion/2.4
  billion).
• Tourism Australia have suggested that up to 88
  (97,680 people) of the 111,000 sports tourists
  who travelled to the 2000 Olympics were likely to
  visit the country again.

4
The Opportunity

• Separate survey conducted in Japan revealed 60
  of respondents reporting that they knew more
  about the country as a direct result of the
  Olympics.
• A further 75 claimed that the event had
  increased their interest in travelling to
  Australia.
• 2000 was a record year for tourism in Australia
  with 4.931 million international arrivals.
• Retail sales in tourist areas increased by up to
  80 with an estimated net increase of A164
  million (US114 million/94 million/64 million)
  in the month of September. (Mintel 2004)

5
The Opportunity

• Greece 2004 showed similar trends.
• Airport managers reported that passenger traffic
  at the airport rose by 33 in August 2004
  compared to the same month in 2003.
• The number of aircraft using the airport during
  the Olympic months also rose to 20,600,
  representing an increase of 17 on August 2003
  figures. (Mintel 2004)

6
The Opportunity

• The UK's tourist industry could be given a 3
  billion boost by the London 2012 Olympic Games,
  according to a report by hotel chain Travelodge.
• The UK could outperform global tourism growth by
  50 per cent in the four years before and after
  the 2012 Olympic Games
• Apotential extra 6.6 million visitors to the
  country between 2007 and 2016, generating the
  extra revenue. (Cited in Journal of Sports
  Tourism,
• http//www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/14775085.ht
  ml)

7
Issues

• However, the European Tour Operators Association
  (ETOA) believes that London 2012 Olympic and
  Paralympic Games might actually harm tourism.
• ETOA stated that Beijing experienced a 30
  downturn in international tourists over the
  Summer, when compared to Spring 2008 figures.
• Applying such a scenario to London would see a
  potential 2.5m drop in tourists visiting London,
  which would be accompanied by a 1.5bn fall in
  revenue. (Cited in Journal of Sports Tourism,
• http//www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/14775085.ht
  ml)

8
Northern Irelands Role

• Northern Irelands geographical positioning makes
  it an ideal location to benefit.
• Experiences from past Olympic events have shown
  that areas that are geographically accessible to
  the epicentre can benefit greatly.
• These benefits are not only restricted to
  economic prosperity, but other rewards can also
  be gained such as building communities through
  volunteering, and ensuring that sustainability is
  achieved.

9
The Role Of Hospitality and Tourism students

• The Business Plan.
• The Olympic Theme.
• Sustainability -The World Police and Fire Games
  Belfast in 2013. This event will bring
  approximately 25,000 people to Northern Ireland.
• The 2014 Commonwealth Games being hosted by
  Glasgow

10
The Partnership

• The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
  (DCAL) 2012 Unit
• The Mentors - The Northern Ireland Tourist Board
  (NITB), InvestNI and Deloittes
• London Olympic Committee Organising Group (LOCOG)
• The Dragons Den / The Pitch
• The Prize

11
The Inspire Mark

• Offered to non-commercial organizations
  delivering projects and events genuinely inspired
  by the London 2012 Olympics.
• Only the most accessible, participative,
  inspiring and stimulating projects and events
  achieve the mark across sport, culture,
  education, environment, volunteering and business
  skills
• The Pitch was successful in its application
• Scope to investigate the possibility of rolling
  the idea out across other departments within the
  university

12
METHODOLOGY

• 12 students took part in the project along with 5
  mentors from industry
• Use of focus groups
• Attitudinal data collected using a discussion
  forum
• Final reflection

13
FINDINGS

• What did you enjoy about the module?
• What did you not enjoy?
• How beneficial was the mentoring session?
• How beneficial was the actual pitch?
• What did you learn from the module?
• What did you think of being able to pitch your
  ideas to industry specialists?
• How beneficial was it to be involved with the
  Inspire mark and the associated Olympic Games?
• How could the module be improved?
• Other Comments

14
Student Findings

• Application of theory very positive
• Students enjoyed all aspects of the module except
  the amount of time and work that was required to
  put the business plans together
• The mentors knowledge and expertise was crucial
  in highlighting potential pitfalls and areas
  which required more research
• Students found the pitch intimidating
• Students found the experience very worthwhile and
  useful for their future career aspirations

15
Student Findings

• Initially, some students had found the Inspire
  Mark and the associated relationship with the
  Olympics suffocating
• Students recognized how useful the module and its
  associated Inspire Mark were for job applications
  and curriculum vitae entries
• Desire to spread the module over two semesters

16
Partner Findings

• Brilliant a really good exercise. Well done! -
  Louise Kearney Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
• "The Inspire mark is a badge of excellence which
  is only awarded to the very best projects and
  events so that they can be recognised as being
  officially part of the London 2012 Olympic and
  Paralympic Games. Inspire projects must be
  non-commercial participative and accessible
  inspired by or energised by the 2012 Games well
  planned and managed inspiring and involving
  young people and about supporting participation
  in sport, culture, education, volunteering,
  sustainability, or business opportunities as
  appropriate. I am delighted to have been able to
  work with the University to achieve the Inspire
  mark for the Pitch. It is an excellent project
  which has harnessed the unique inspiration of the
  Olympic Games to encourage the students involved
  to be creative and innovative in generating
  business ideas, enhanced their skills in their
  crucial final year to help them when it comes to
  pursuing self-employment or employment in an
  existing organisation, and also created and
  strengthened partnerships between the University
  and other public and private sector
  organisations." - Julie Jamison, Inspire
  Programmer for Northern Ireland 2012 Unit,
  Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
•  

17
Partner Findings

• Thanks for the opportunity to take part in your
  Dragons' Den project. It's good to be able to
  contribute to any project which helps what we
  hope may be the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. I
  believe that the more exposure that students get
  to the business world the better prepared they
  are likely to be when they eventually move on
  from college.
• I think that it is also important in their own
  personal development and confidence. Your
  students performed very well and with a lot of
  enthusiasm for their subjects. I can see a lot of
  potential for further development of the project
  and maybe a focus into viability and finance. No
  matter what walk of life they end up in, the
  ability to understand whether any investment is
  likely to give them an adequate return is very
  important.
• I hope all of the students found it worthwhile.
  It's good to see that innovative teaching can
  make learning enjoyable. Good luck for the
  future. - Liam McKeating InvestNI 

18
Partner Findings

• Congratulations to Ian Bickerstaff and his team
  on delivering a programme that really bridges the
  gap between academia and industry. This Programme
  will greatly help students transition into the
  workplace and provide potential employers with a
  source of well prepared recruits. - Gerry Walsh
  Head of Procurement LOCOG

19
Partner Findings

• From my involvement on the project it provides
  the students an excellent opportunity to showcase
  their creative and presentation skills,
  understand the commercial application of a
  practical idea, contribute ideas to their own
  local economy and thereby engage in the Northern
  Ireland corporate agenda, and to effectively
  integrate academic learning and business
  application in a virtual/real commercial
  environment. The quality of the students in terms
  of their ideas, preparation, presentation skills
  and enthusiasm was a testament to the learning
  process. - Dawn Johnston Deloitte LLP

20
CONCLUSIONS

• The London 2012 Olympics have provided many
  opportunities for a plethora of stakeholders. The
  Hospitality and Tourism Industry and in fact the
  educators associated with this area are in a
  position to capitalize on these opportunities and
  contribute to the economic welfare of the UK as a
  whole.