Events and Sustainability

Increasing concerns over climate and environmental change, the global economic and financial crisis and impacts on host communities, audiences, participants and destinations has reinforced the need for more sustainable approaches to events. Sustainability now features as part of the bid process for many mega-events, such as the Olympic Games, as well as significant regional and local events, where the event organisers are required by funding bodies and governments to generate broader outcomes for the locality.

This book is the first to offer students a comprehensive introduction to the full range of issues and topics relevant to event sustainability including impacts, operating and policy environments, stimulating urban regeneration and creating lasting legacies, as well as practical knowledge on how to achieve a sustainable event. Taking a holistic approach drawing on multidisciplinary theory it offers insight into the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts and how these can be adapted or mitigated. Theory and practice are linked through integrated case studies based on a wide range of event types from mega events to community festivals to show impacts, best practice and how better sustainable practice can be achieved in the future. Learning objectives, discussion questions and further reading suggestions are included to aid understanding and further knowledge; additional resources for lecturers and students including power point slides, video and web links are available online.

Events and Sustainability is essential reading for all events management students and future managers.

Kirsten Holmes is an Associate Professor in Tourism at Curtin University, Western Australia. She has 14 years’ experience of teaching event management and event sustainability in the UK and Australia. Her research examines volunteerism in tourism and leisure settings, with a focus on events.

Michael Hughes is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia. He has a keen interest in environmental management, policy and sustainability. Michael has published on perceptions of nature, industrial development in remote natural areas and the value of wildlife tourism.

Judith Mair is a Senior Lecturer in Event Management in the UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Australia. She is author of Conferences and Conventions: A Research Perspective. Her research interests include events, tourism and sustainability and she has published many journal articles on these topics in international journals.

Jack Carlsen has 30 years of academic experience and is currently an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University, Western Australia. He has an extensive research track record, which has produced more than 150 career publications on various topics related to sustainable tourism planning, markets, development and evaluation.