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Thesis
The Olympic events existing since the 18th century have been of great importance to the hosting countries. The social and economic importance brought about by the multi-sporting event remains enormous (Payne 23). Over the years since the first modern-era Olympics were held up in Athens Greece, various countries have benefited from hosting this world-renowned event. This discussion aims to look at the cultural and economic importance brought about by the event in the Chinese Olympics held in Beijing in august 2008. In addition, it serves to highlight the benefits the England private and public sectors get from hosting the event in 2012.
The study also serves to look at the expectations of the London 2012 Olympics as well as discuss the possible disadvantages of hosting this event. In this respect, the study focuses on the general change that has or is expected to occur due to the Olympics concerning china and the UK. Therefore, the study looks at the impacts of the Olympics on both China and the UK. In addition, it serves to explore the motive of hosting the Olympics in both countries and whether the original purposes were or are close to being met. The development motives serve to conclude the study.
Introduction
The year 2001 happened to be a potentially good and bad year for China. This country’s bid to host the 2008 Olympics was voted for and approved. The possible economic importance of this event was enormous. However, there were also to be some disadvantages arising from it.
The UK was formally allowed to host the 2012 Olympics in the year 2005. The impact of this event on east London, a previously underdeveloped part of the town is already being felt as discussed below.
Impact of the Olympics on China
The Beijing Olympics in 2008 manifested China’s emergence as a key global player just as the previous Olympics in Japan and South Korea served to propel these two far-east countries (Li 32). This event served to showcase its great economic maturation. However, the impacts of this Olympics on China are clear for any countries planning on bidding to host this event to learn from.
Advantages
New Beijing
The bid to host the Beijing Olympics was accepted about seven years before the event date. China was therefore able to embark on an effort to meet the conditions for hosting these games from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Beijing, being the host nation required several adjustments to be approved to host this event. China, therefore, dedicated enormous resources to infrastructure to support the enormous sporting event (International Railway 32).
The expansion of transport means that occurred then remains a permanent feature for use in Beijing today. In addition, the increase in the capacity of the roads, as well as the connections to various airports used for the Olympics, helped improve Beijing’s general infrastructure. This is because, after the event, the Chinese people can now boast the use of first-class infrastructure developed due to the event hosted in Beijing (Payne and Xianchun 5).
Improvement of sports facilities
Pre-Olympic China required sophisticated sporting facilities in addition to the present ones to host the Olympics in 2008. This necessitated the planning by Chinese architects in conjunction with other architects from the rest of the world. This led to the construction of the various stadiums and venues to host this event in the major Chinese cities. In addition, China built the Olympic park for use by the people in attendance (Li 21).
China also built more than fifty modern training centers for the Olympians to use. Soccer stadiums and a sailing hub were also constructed in major cities in China. The construction of Paralympics games facilities in China also helped to add to the sporting facilities (Miller 24). However, the most magnificent of them all is the Birds Nest; the Chinese National Stadium built in preparation for the Olympics. This stadium is used in the modern-day for various events including international soccer matches. In addition, the other state-of-the-art sporting facilities serve the Chinese people to date.
Transportation and infrastructure
The general state of transportation and infrastructure in the Chinese cities before the Olympics was not as required by the IOC. Beijing spent more than $1.1 billion to improve the two aspects in the towns where the events would be held. This money helped improve the subway systems as well as the rail system to make transportation more efficient (International railway journal 33). The streets of these cities were also refurbished to international standards because of the Olympics. In addition, high-tech traffic control systems were put in place to serve the enormous amounts of people attending these Olympics. There was also a state of the art airports constructed basically to serve the event. These first-class facilities remain of use by the Chinese people and transport is much more efficient compared to post-Olympic China (Payne 3).
Urban renewal and tourism
The Olympics in China necessitated demolishing and reconstruction of some of the ancient buildings. China, therefore, embarked on a five-year plan to refurbish historic areas as well as reconstruct the older parts of the cities where the Olympics would be held. It spent about $200 million to do all this work to improve its image for the many visitors attending this enormous event. The refurbishing of places such as the famous Forbidden City served to attract more tourists even after the Olympics. The revenue collected from tourists coming to view the rich Chinese history is enormous. In addition, it helped to preserve the Chinese culture for future generations to appreciate.
Technology
Pre-Olympic China was not modernized in terms of technology as it is today. The exposure brought about by the Olympics served to highlight a country with huge potential technologically to the rest of the world. In addition, the necessary use of digital as well as wireless transmissions by the many visitors necessitated the installation of these technologies in the various cities and especially Beijing. The use of intelligent technologies such as smart cards also became essential and China spent about $3.6 billion to enable the installation of all these technologies. The use of these technologies helped China to become a digital country. The facilities continue to serve the Chinese people as well as the visitors to date hence it was a worthy investment.
Environmental improvements
The highlight on China due to the Olympics led to the introduction of various measures to curb environmental pollution. Various factories were relocated from the cities hosting the event. The constructions of treatment plants for wastewater as well as clean buses for the games are some of the highlights of the projects launched to help clean the environment (Romney 88). These facilities and many others remain of use in China today. Though pollution remains a problem in largely industrialized China, the measures taken to help improve the situation due to the Olympics helped greatly to improve the environment. This also ensured that China hosted the most eco-friendly Olympics in its history.
Disadvantages
Hosting an event of an international status such as the Olympics leads to the exposure of the host nation to the rest of the world. The exposure helps market the country to the outside world but also highlights various problems in the country. For instance, the snow predicament in late winter served to reveal major weaknesses in Chinese infrastructure. This mainly exposed the below-standard electricity grids in China. In addition, part of the rest of the world protested the policies of China about Tibet. The internationalist Olympics nature was not being observed. This served to dent the image that China tried so much to establish.
The problems between China and Tibet were blown out of proportion by the hawk-eyed media present due to the Olympics. In addition, the response of China to the earthquake tragedy that occurred just before the Olympics was viewed as not being swift enough by the media. Environmental concerns were also a major problem. These discouraged some people from going to China as they were not sure of the safety of this little-known country in the far-east.
The foreign media treated this event as though China had been overwhelmed whereas it is the information about the quake that got to the world before China could even respond to the calamity. All these brought about a negative image to China before and even after the Olympics. China has since embarked on suppressing media freedom (Asian economic news 2).
Impact of the Olympics on England
The Olympics London, UK is to be held between 29th August and 9th September. The event has had both negative and positive impacts on London and the UK in general. The event is yet to happen therefore some situations may be expected during and after the event (Masterman 5).
Advantages
Having hosted the event twice before, London has various facilities for this Olympic season. However, modernization has brought about the need to refurbish some of the facilities to reach the IOC’s standards. The Olympic preparations have so far created numerous jobs for the locals and especially in east London. In addition, the eastern part of the city that has been slightly left behind in terms of development is set to benefit enormously from these Olympics.
Already, this region has seen the improvement of infrastructure as the government set up funds for this purpose. Various media leading media houses have also acquired broadcasting rights and this is a source of revenue (Business Wire 34). In addition, the people of various cultures set to converge in London will serve to enrich the culture of this part of London that was previously little known. Tourism in east London is also set to increase as well as the general economic welfare due to the various facilities to be used in and long after the Olympics (Weed 45).
Disadvantages
London has hosted the Olympics twice previously so the organizers have a clue of what to expect in most aspects. However, since the last time it hosted the Olympics in 1948, significant changes have occurred (Payne 45). For instance, terrorism is a relatively new problem in the modern-day. Its unpredictability makes it a difficult predicament to manage (Miller 86). The modern-day management of sports requires strict measures to ensure the safety of the participants as well the audience. The threat posed by terrorists in the modern day is a great disadvantage to the host nation. In addition, London is set to experience congestion of traffic and a possibility of £1.5 billion loss due to the effect the Olympics will have on the city. The improvement of facilities is also very costly. These costs are to be borne mainly by the public.
It has already seen a rise in rent as well as council tax to be able to finance this event. This brings unnecessary strain to the people trying to earn a better life. The involvement of locals is very little due to the expertise needed. In addition, there is less investment in local sports as resources are dedicated to this multi-national event.
Conclusion
In China, the Olympics were meant to expose the country to the rest of the world. In addition to improved facilities and tourism, China also looked to install various technologies to be at par with the rest of the economic giants. The development in all these sectors post-Olympics is proof that China succeeded in its goals. In the case of London, the Olympics are set to market this city to the rest of the world. Of main importance though is the renewal of east London to be a major player in the tourism and economic welfare of London post Olympics. The other expectations such as the revenue generated are yet to be seen but the situation in east London has changed significantly since 2005. Therefore, the goals are being met as planned.
Works Cited
Asian Economic News. “China clamping down hard on press freedom: international watchdog.”. 2012. Web.
Business Wire. “Steward Health Care to Advertise on the 2012 Summer Olympics.”. 2012. Web.
International Railway Journal. “Beijing metro expansion continues.”. 2012. Web.
Li, Ming. International Sport Management. Illinois: Human Kinectics, 2012. Print.
Masterman, Guy. Strategic sports event management: an international approach. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 2004. Print.
Miller, Diana. Terrorism: are we ready? New York: Nova Science, 2002.
Payne, Michael and Guo Xianchun. Aolinpike da ni zhuan = Olympic turnaround 1st edition. Hong Kong: Zhong xin chu ban she, 2008. Print.
Payne, Michael. Olympic turnaround: how the Olympic Games stepped back from the brink of extinction to become the world’s best known brand. Connecticut: Praeger press, 2006. Print.
Payne, Michael. Olympic turnaround: how the Olympic Games stepped back from the brink of extinction to become the world’s best known brand – and a multi-billion dollar global franchise London: London Business Press, 2005. Print.
Payne, Michael. Oro olímpico. China: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.
Romney, Mitt and Timothy Robinson. Turnaround: crisis, leadership, and the Olympic Games. Washington DC: Regnery publishers, 2004. Print.
Weed, Mike. Olympic tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008. Print.
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