The 2012 Olympic Games in Britain - Essay Example

The Olympic Games in Britain Despite the demands in both country’s political and economical stability,countries’ governments have always wished to host Olympic games. Hosting these games is marked by diverse merits and demerits (Thornton, 2011:6). In Britain, where the games will be held this summer, it is expected that the games impact to the nation is premeditated to be great extend despite the minimal drawbacks and objections expected as will be discussed in this paper. First, there is prestige in hosting such games. It is a global event and it attracts a lot of world attention, which is an avenue for prosperity for the host country. The most profound of this sporting event is that it features summer and winter sports where the well-molded and crafted athletes from around the globe gather and showcase their superb talents (Davis, 2012:41). This has been a culture of late, a stage for the outstanding talent. Since the times of BARON PIERRE DE COUBERRTIN (the founder of the initial Olympic committee), the games have evolved into accommodating numerous changes. This will bring new visitors to Britain who probably would not have come. As a result, it will open new visitors markets, which is to greater extend what United Kingdom dreamed of (Great Britain Parliament House Committee, 2010:71). Hosting the Olympic Games in London will bring with it the inspiration merits, support and subjects for thousands of clinical and scientific studies. This is expected benefit because most of the overlooked legacies of these games give avenues for scientific research in science and medicine (Thornton, 2011:4). All eyes will be glued as the biggest sporting event on the planet will kick starts at its grounds. With 26 performances to pass through our eyes, with 10,500 multi-talented athletes, they form useful experimental subjects (Houlihan and Green, 2011:113). This is so because modern sport and medicine have of late enjoyed a close relationship. These are great avenues for Britain scientists to put into practice their knowledge since the athletes volunteer to be examined because of their competitiveness This gathering is expected to bring out one of the busiest summers in the history of the England nation (Houlihan and Green, 2011;151). Moreover, the London economy is set to convey out its most sophisticated transport system, which in-deed is expected to be the crandle of running wheels in the entire Europe (E.S.R.C., 2010:09). Again the world is set to be fed with yet another new architectural design of the recent times as the games will take place in the magnificently designed venues and the Olympic parks across London and around the United Kingdom (Davis, 2012:77). This is for sure, all good news since the economy will be expected to tap from this source. As the festival progress by, the England nation is set to host and accommodate all this visitors. The welfare of all the Olympic ticket holders not to mention their security will whole-handedly be in the hands of the host. It is all in the care of the London government to bring out and unleash its deep sitted level of services in order to gain (Davis, 2012:45). In addition, the country will again benefit by exposing its culture to the world. As expected, there would be hostels and campsites. Luxury hotels are set to be, food and ancient traditions and all forms of travelling (Thornton, 2011:17). London and United Kingdom have a great range of things to show to the attending and spectating world and benefit a lot. Whether the country will profit from these events, is all left on how the organizers have planned. It is now a question of how the games can be sustained in terms of the environmental impact and the dire need of the United Kingdom government to deliver a long lasting legacy and benefit at a variety of scales. As scheduled, almost all the Olympic proceedings should be held within the London locality (E.S.R.C., 2010:13). The country been part of the organizers will try to provide profitable grounds for businesses to thrive. It will give a boost to and generate economic progress. The profit from such kind of event is way far beyond the local or regional benefits the host gets in a normal economic drive. The event is expected to bring in a large scale of turnover through infrastructural improvements and what has been considered to be the overwhelming internal investment in the country (Thornton, 2011:29). As seen from the previous hosts, the games will create mixed economic benefits for London and United Kingdom. Previously, the Sydney Olympic Games had far-reaching advantages to its economy. It not only benefited the city of Sydney but also its effect was felt in the New South Wales economy (Houlihan and Green, 2011:112). Britain is of no exception in gaining from such an event. The games are expected to boost tourism industry. It is projected that London and neighboring cities will not only become the short break destinations in Europe, but also a consistent and long term glimmer for visitors in the coming days (E.S.R.C., 2010:24). Planners believe that United Kingdom may see a 2.1 billion pound boost in tourism industry. This will ran down in history as one of the greatest opportunities England was presented at hand by the Olympic International committee (Davis, 2012:52). It has been well quoted that major artistic programme is being developed along side the sporting elements of the 2012 Games. This definitely will see foreigner’s participation in England’s cultural practices (Houlihan and Green, 2011:137). The positive effect to this is that the culture of United Kingdom and London will gain a major boost and interest which as a result could attract international interests. Through its planned presentations in theatres, museums, libraries, stately homes, cinemas and technology, a state of heart reception and attraction is imminent (E.S.R.C., 2010:8). The culture will with no doubt sell itself to the foreigners and will be a significant advancement to the economy of that state. Presentations such as comedy, dance and live performances are expected. All this mechanisms in place, the 2012 Olympic Games will in no doubt bring home the best benefits the economy of London and United Kingdom has ever experienced. This will lift tourism into greater heights. All this will result into creation of new jobs to the people through supply of services from the natives and significantly ease the pressure of government task of providing for the nation. Such events also tend to attract both internal and external investments of companies (Thornton, 2011:64). The tourism authority was quoted to be expecting ‘$3.5 billion to the visitor economy’. The key issue Olympic 2012 LONDON, as perceived by the Olympic minister is to regenerate the deprived areas in UK and spread the magic of 2012 outside the Olympic park so that all the communities in the UK feel the benefits of hosting the London Games (Houlihan and Green, 2011:130). In contrary, the main drawback of hosting Olympic Games of such magnitude will be the expected cost for effective running of the events. The cost is estimated will be a biting issue to the planners and the country’s public coffers. The event is set to run at a total cost of 2.375 billion pounds. The government is set to draw its sources from: council tax, national lottery and the London Development Agency. This operation is estimated to be 500 million pounds. As for the government, there are plans to make up for this through various mechanisms of which one of the identified sources is through increasing revenue from tourism (Thornton, 2011:6). Lack of long-term jobs is another demerit. In these games, the public is periodically duped into investing in the seemingly available job opportunities. The irony of these available jobs and investment is that, they are predictably liable to end with the closure of the event. This has a far-reaching effect to the citizens who are left to jobless after the competitions are over. As this is not enough, it leaves a significantly disturbing level of unemployment (Great Britain Parliament House Committee, 2010:83). In a world oscillating in the phobia of terror attacks, these games could attract such a vice. Though not a conclusive argument, the gargantuan crowd and the expected security breaches could provide loopholes for the lovers of terror to sneak in and exploit (Thornton, 2011:9). The security systems are expected to be at their best. This is a high demanding course of action not only for the country, but also for the human resources involved in ensuring the welfare of the people is not thrown into the is not compromised (Thornton, 2011:14). In conclusion, there is also the expected increase in off-plan property buying and this is the most attractive snare which fraud market thrives in. The overhyping of service and goods cannot be looked down upon since where the demand is high the prices rise. Traffic jams due to congestion and expected travelling of the visitors to and from will pose one of the uncontrollable traffic movements Britain had ever experienced (Great Britain Parliament House Committee, 2010:95). Business will suffer as a result. Day in day out, people will be held in traffic jams leading to delays of service attendees’ and halted operation in demanding sectors of economy. This consequently may prove to be a challenge in holding everything in operation (Davis, 2012:91). Bibliography Davis, A. J., 2012. The Olympic Games Effect: How Sports Marketing Builds Strong Brands. New York: John Wiley & Sons. E.S.R.C., 2010. Olympic Games Impact Study – London 2012: pre-Games report. Available from: http://www.uel.ac.uk/geo-information/documents/UEL_TGIfS_PreGames_OGI_Release.pdf [Accessed 2 May 2012] Fussey, P., 2011. Securing and Sustaining the Olympic City: Reconfiguring London for 2012 and Beyond. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Culture and Media and sports Committee., 2010. Olympic Games and Paralymic Games 2012: Legacy. London: The Stationery Office. Guttmann, A., 2002. The Olympics, a History of the Modern Games. Illinois: University of Illinois Press. Houlihan, B. and Green, M., 2011. Routledge Handbook of Sports Development. London: Routledge. Thornton, G., 2011. Meta-Evaluation of the Impacts and Legacy of the London 2012 Olympics Games and Paralympic Games. Available from: http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Meta_Evaluation_Summary_Report_accessible.pdf [Accessed 2 May 2012]. Read More