Uncovering value in culture, events, and tourism is a complex area yet understanding value can give important insight into enjoyment, loyalty and sustainability (Seraj, 2012). Insight into value also feeds into effective strategic planning. The preference for aligning notions of value with measures of economic success has gradually given way to approaches which have sought to uncover the social and community impacts of such activities (i.e. Deery & Jago, 2010). However, recognition of the potential value to be found here presents a series of other challenges. There are – for example – several levels at which engagement with an event can be meaningful (i.e. Smith et al. 2021) and, recognising the nuances of each necessarily has implications if any attempt to gauge the extent of an effect, and to attribute value, is to be successful.
Expert and community priorities in terms of the prospective benefits of a cultural, touristic or sport event input might diverge quite considerably (Smith et al. 2021). Furthermore, the benefit felt by an individual can be experienced and interpreted quite differently from one person to the next, informed by their own circumstances, knowledge and enthusiasm. Yet, if value is to be appreciated fully, capturing the divergence and nuance of viewpoints is essential. Meaningful measurement of value is both a consistent consideration and – often – an occasion at which difficulty can be encountered. Challenge frequently occurs when the mechanism for measuring value is insufficiently considered at the outset of projects and, it subsequently becomes necessary to ‘retrofit’ evaluative approaches to achieve an understanding of value. In the Annual CCSE Symposium, we seek to explore the complex topic of value across our three main contextual focal points: culture, sport events and tourism.
Click here to register. Click here to find out more about our panel speakers. Please do come and join the discussion if you’re able.
David
Professor David McGillivray
Chair in Event and Digital Cultures
School of Business and Creative Industries
University of the West of Scotland
