ABSTRACT
An increasing number of destinations have looked to major events to lure large numbers of visitors, attract investment and tourist spending, and generate media coverage. Some examples include the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, major entertainment events or festivals and significant political meetings. Some scholars have labelled these efforts ‘mega events’ because of their scale and scope (Deccio and Baloglu, 2002). However, from a branding perspective, it is more appropriate to label these ‘spotlight events’, because of the opportunities they afford destination brand managers.
