With Taylor Swift’s Eras tour generating billions of dollars in economic impact, the Paris Olympics welcomed millions of visitors to travel to large events — what we call “live tourism” — It’s coming of age.
But at the World Economic Forum in Davos, global leaders warned that growing pressures around sustainability, digital integration and community impact are forcing a rethink on how these events must unfold.
Cities hosting major events must prioritize community benefits. Her Highness Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, said: “The Government of Dubai has a primary goal, which is the happiness and well-being of the people of Dubai and creating a better quality of life.”
The success of on-site tourism depends largely on the coordination of stakeholders. Anna Marks, global chair of Deloitte, stresses that “you need everyone to be aligned – government, local authorities, business and local civil society.” Without this alignment, she warns, “For consumers, the event experience You won’t be the best and you won’t create the legacy you want to create.”
Safety and security remain top of mind. Sorrell noted that the Euro 2021 final was held at Wembley Stadium, where a serious security breach occurred despite the presence of police. Marks points out that successful events require extensive advance planning: “It’s about crisis management, how do you role-play a situation where something might go wrong at this event we’re about to host? How would we react, and how would we prevent it from happening? question?
Building national brands through live tourism
The economic impact of live tourism extends beyond local revenue to national brands. Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman of S4Capital, emphasized that “the world has become more fragmented and national branding is crucial.”
He shared a striking example from his time on the Formula One board, where Bernie Ecclestone would make a straightforward proposition to the nation’s leaders: “You want to use Formula One to reinvent your business?” Country, it will cost you $200 million to build a track that’s not a street track, but a unique track and you won’t get a penny for it.
This investment in nation branding is particularly evident in the Middle East, where Sorrell noted that “we are seeing nation branding on an unprecedented scale,” with rulers thinking beyond sports positioning to “political, cultural, social positioning.” nation”.
Authentic storytelling and brand integration
For brands, the key is more than simple sponsorship. “It’s not just about putting on a logo and being one of a hundred sponsors, but really using the platform to Telling authentic stories that inspire our consumers and people around the world.
However, Sorrell warned that “there is a very delicate balance between commercialization” at events such as Wimbledon and the Olympics. He cited the example of LVMH’s controversial three-minute short at the Paris Olympics, in which “the IOC movement transcended boundaries” and allowed public sponsorship for the first time in Olympic history.
Digital strategy and hybrid experiences
Louvet highlighted Ralph Lauren’s innovative approach to combining digital experiences with live events. “If you can’t get into Wimbledon, you can look at our windows – the windows of our Bond Street store are actually the TV screens people watch the matches on,” says Luvert, giving an example of how the brand can be found in unexpected places.
Modern event marketing requires sophisticated digital strategies. Sorrell described how his company develops “a million and a half different assets” for some digital campaigns, creating “highly personalized experiences” based on audience data. However, this level of digital personalization is unlikely to be replicated at scale in real life, which could lead to social isolation – the very issue that drives people to seek out in-person experiences.
Deloitte’s Marks noted that digital elements should complement rather than replace physical experiences, and large events are making good use of them to build a sense of community.
Changes in live event formats and formats
Events face increasing pressure for sustainability and changing consumer preferences. Sorrell predicts that events will need to adapt in two ways: “They may have to reduce new installations and therefore be more economical, but they will also have to be more sustainable and attractive to consumers, especially generators. Z.”
The format of events is also constantly changing. Sorrell pointed to innovations such as Gerard Pique’s shortened King’s World Cup format and LIV Golf’s condensed tournaments aimed at attracting younger audiences with shorter attention spans.
It’s clear that, going forward, live events will depend on finding the right balance between digital influence and real face-to-face connections, while creating meaningful experiences that resonate across generations.
