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XIX CWG 2010 DELHI AND

TOURISM

BY:

ASNA

SHALINI

ARAFA

SHVANI

IRFAN

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Defining sports tourism

tourists who engage in sports at a destination do so with varying degrees of commitment,

competitiveness and active/passive engagement. Hinch and Higham (2004, p. 34)

According to Maier and Webers (1993) typology, it might be reasonable to classifyspectators travelling to the Commonwealth Games as passive sports tourists. These tourists

are mainly focused on mega-sports events, they do not pursue individual sporting activities,

however, they can include coaches and attendants to high-performance athletes

The tourism impacts of mega sporting events

sports events are increasingly seen as part of a broader tourism strategy aimed at raising the

profile of a city, and therefore success cannot be judged on simply profit and loss basics.

Indeed this is the view that many governments and related event organisations take when

bidding to host mega events. It is argued, rightly or wrongly, that given the direct pullingpower of these must-see events and their visible profile generated by way of a global

viewing audience, a destinations own image can benefit, through subsequent raising or

repositioning, especially if the event is judged to be successful. The ultimate short and long-

term benefits for tourism associated with enhanced destination image relate to increased

visitor numbers, whether they are derived from tourists who develop a holistic interest in the

destination or sports tourists who wish to visit specific sports attractions (e.g. the stadium

where the mega event was held). Whilst bid cities might refer to the legacy of events, as Hall

acknowledges the long-term evaluation of sport tourism and its impact on destinations is

virtually non-existent.

What and How it was done?

Accomodation

Accommodation for the visitors during the Commonwealth Games was on top priority

agenda of the Ministry of Tourism. In order to meet the shortfall of accommodation the

Ministry was in regular touch with the Land Owning Agencies in the National Capital

Region of Delhi for creation of the additional hotel rooms. A Task Force was constituted

under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Tourism, for monitoring the progress of the various

agencies for creation of additional hotel accommodation in NCT of Delhi. These agencies

included the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh & Haryana, the Ministries of Railways &

Civil Aviation, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

(DMRC), Delhi Airport International Limited (DIAL) etc. Regular meetings were held to

review the progress. The last meeting was held on January 27, 2010 In addition, meetings to

review and monitor the arrangements for the CWG-2010 was also conducted regularly by the

Committee of Secretaries(CoS), Group of Ministers (GoM), the Lt. Governor, Delhi, theChief Minister of Delhi & the Minister of State (Sports).

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To encourage the growth of new hotels, on the request of the Ministry of Tourism, the

Ministry of Finance gave a five year tax holiday under Section 80-ID to 2, 3 and 4-star

category hotels and convention centers which were functional between April 1, 2007 to July

31, 2010 in National Capital Territory Region of Delhi and the Districts of Faridabad,

Gurgaon, Gautam Budh Nagar (NOIDA) and Ghaziabad.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA)/Ministry of Urban Development announced the

increase in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 150 to 225 for hotels in Delhi excluding the hotels

falling in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone etc. To provide additional rooms in existing and new

hotels. Further, the Ministry of Tourism advised all existing hotels to upgrade their hotels for

the Games.

Due to the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, RBI already de-linked credit for hotel projects

from Commercial Real Estate (CRE) thereby enabled hotel projects to avail credit at relaxed

norms and reduced interest rates. The External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) norms wererelaxed by the Finance Ministry to solve the problem of liquidity faced by the hotel industry

due to economic slowdown.Training Scheme

Earn While You Learn a short training scheme with the objective to sensitize youth,

specific to tourism service was introduced by the Ministry of Tourism. Youth trained under

this scheme were also utilized for the CWG 2010. The programme was a short term training

programme of 21 days to encourage youth to work as student volunteers in tourism industry.

The CWG-2010 required an estimated 15,000 20,000 pool of trained and experienced

volunteers. Volunteer Programme was being managed by the Organizing Committee, CWG-

2010 along with different agencies and the Tourism Ministry proposed to the Organizing

Committee that training of some volunteers were conducted under the ongoing scheme of the

Ministry Capacity Building For Service Providers. The Ministry, also proposed to utilize

the students of Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa to augment the man power requirements.

Delhi had 42 information kioskscumfood counters installed by a private citybased firm,

Ved Pohoja Associates, to make the city more hospitable for tourists during the

Commonwealth Games (October 314, 2010). The company sat up the kiosks, branded

'Tourist InfoCafes', in several areas across the capital with support from civic agencies like

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). By

setting up the kiosks, the company's aim is to create a brand for Delhi and to help tourists

carry good memories of Delhi even after the Games

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Government initiative

The year also saw commercials showing Incredible India campaigns baggingprestigious international awards including a Grand Prix in Vienna.

The Atithi Deva Bhavo campaign featuring Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan was re-

launched this year to sensitise people's behaviour towards tourists.

Steps were also initiated for focused development of caravan, adventure and heliport

tourism.

The ministry has also decided to provide financial assistance to the country's states

and Union Territories for construction of heliports in hilly and remote areas.

In order to encourage growth of budget accommodation of the Approved / Licensed

Guest Houses in the NCT of Delhi, Department of tourism, Govt. of Delhi / Ministry

of Tourism (MOT), Govt. of India as per the schemes for Approval of Guest Houses

provided Interest Subsidy for loans taken to upgrade the existing facilities maximum

Rs. 2 lakh per room.

Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in India report states that the

Government of India increased spend on advertising campaigns (including for the

campaigns Incredible India and Ahithi Devo Bhava - Visitors are like God) toreinforce the rich variety of tourism in India. The Ministry promoted India as a safe

tourist destination and has undertaken various measures, such as stepping up vigilance

in key cities and at historically important tourist sites. It also deployed increased

manpower and resources for improving security checks at key airports and railway

stations.

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'India Calling', a major tourism event was organised in Los Angeles in collaboration

with National Geographic Society to woo US tourists.

Indian Railways, the Lead Partner of the XIX Commonwealth Games, provided

dedicated train for the participants in the Commonwealth Games. The day trip started

at 07:00 am and ended late in the evening.

The visitors took the two and a half hour journey from Safdarjung Railway Station in

New Delhi to Agra Cantonment Railway Station by a chartered train memorable as it

got through colourful northern Indian countryside.

Major Tourism Events sponsored by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi- Dilli Haat in

London, Cultural Exhibition in Tokyo, Jakarta, Hanoi, participation of Dilli Haat in

Frankfurt, Book Fair in Oxford are some examples of these major activities.

Grant in Aid to DTTDC for running of Tourist Information Centre (Rs.25.00 lakh)-

Delhi Tourism is running Tourist Information Centres at all the main disembarkationpoints in Delhi. Delhi Tourism disseminates information to the tourists from these

offices and a large number of foreign and domestic tourists availed these facilities.

the Ministry of Tourism chose to work with the lower figure of one lakh foreign

tourist arrivals for the Games and not ASSOCHAMs one million, otherwise one can

imagine the level of frenzy about construction of hotel rooms.

The Incredible India Bed and Breakfast (B&B)-Scheme was aggressively advertised

in an attempt to reach the 3000 target. In May 2009,there were only 800 registrations,

(although Indias bid document claims 1472 were registered by 2003) but by June

2010, there were 2,007 rooms in the NCR of Delhi (1,230 rooms in Delhi and 777

rooms in the NCR ie. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad). The

idea was that foreign tourists staying with Indian families could experience their

culture, cuisine, and way of life. In efforts to meet the target, resident welfare

associations were also recruited to promote the concept through door-to-door

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campaigning with promotional pamphlets and material, in addition to being advertised

in newspapers and bus kiosks.

ANALYSIS

What went wrong?

The situation exacerbated as games drew closer; preparations were way behind schedule.

Reports of dogs and snakes in athletes rooms coupled with water-logging due to incessant

rain almost spelt doom for the games. The village was declared unfit to live in by CWG

supervisors, and major athletes started backing out and postponing their arrival. The collapse

of a footbridge and a fragile ceiling made the crisis spin out of control and got the attention of

major international broadcasters. The purpose of showing Indias prowess in hosting such

games was defeated, and the Incredible India hit its nadir.

The problem lies in selective choice of data, incorrect data and in some cases inadequatereliance on very limited data, in arriving at conclusions thus raising serious questions on therobustness of its research methods and conclusions. This can be proved as one proceedsfurther.

The Ministry of Tourisms commissioned study on tourist arrivals and room requirement for

the CWG was prepared by the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM)

Gwalior and released in the year 2009, titled Assessment of Number of Tourists Expected to

Visit Delhi during Commonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement of Rooms for Them. The

no of expected tourists was estimated to be 100000. Keeping tabs on the status of the numberof hotels and rooms and what the shortfall might be is an obsession with the Ministry with

regular updates on the status of rooms, and creative strategies being evolved to tide over the

impending crisis!

As per the CAG report, Indias bid document in 2003 estimated 30000 spectators for the

Games, but thanks to the MoT study a more refined assessment upwards to 100000 has

been made, which translates to 40000 rooms. Thus, after considering the already available

11,000 rooms of hotel accommodation in Delhi and NCR, an additional requirement of about

30,000 rooms for tourists and visitors was projected.

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Whereas, a total of 75,606 foreign tourists arrived in the capital during the period, the

ministry stated, based on information provided by immigration authorities at the Delhi

airport. The sporting extravaganza began Oct 3 and culminated Oct 14. Based on the date-

wise break up of tourist arrivals, the highest number of tourists - 7,527 - came on Oct 2, the

day before the Games began.

Therefore, the problem lies in selective choice of data, incorrect data and in some casesinadequate reliance on very limited data, in arriving at conclusions thus raising seriousquestions on the robustness of its research methods and conclusions.

In terms of methodology what is baffling is while the study goes into a convoluted arrivingat CGAR (compounded annual growth rate) of tourist patterns of earlier games locations toarrive at estimates for tourist arrivals; it chooses data of some games and rejects others. Ituses only Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 tourist arrival data. It does not consider theonly other Asian country to host CWG viz. Malaysia (KualaLampur) (1998) or the recent

Olympics in Beijing 2008 attributing their negative results to economic recession, virusoutbreak and typical foreign policies, disregarding them as aberrations from the norm insteadof acknowledging them as possible inconvenient truths. The assumption seems to be thatDelhi 2010 will be miraculously indemnified or immune from all extraneous negative factors.

It is increasingly clear that the opportunity that the CWG provided has been primarily usedby real estate developers and builders to enter the hotel industry, catering to higher endclientele.It is evident that the auction for so many sites would not have happened were it not for thepressure put to accomplish 40000 rooms for the Games.

In around 18 plots auctioned by the DDA in the recent past, only four to five plots are underconstruction, which highlights the bleak picture. The DDA managed to earn as much as Rs1.25 lakh per square metre and plots were sold for over three times the reserve price.

How did they did it?( CWG MELBOURNE 2006)

Pre-event considerations

The bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne commenced in 1996, with a rangeof benefits promulgated as likely to accrue to all Victorians if the bid proved successful.Planning in earnest began subsequently after notification in 1999 that Melbourne had beenselected as the host city for the 2006 Games (State of Victoria, 2005). Evidence of suchplanning can be seen in the 2002-2006 Strategic Plan of Tourism Victoria, the peakgovernment planning body for stimulating domestic and international tourism to the State.The Plan details the following tourism objectives relating to the hosting of this mega event:

Increase the national and international brand awareness of Melbourne/Victoria.

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Maximise international, interstate and intrastate visitation to the 2006 CommonwealthGames.

Encourage visitation to Melbourne/Victoria pre and post Commonwealth Games.

Provide tourism enhancing infrastructure and communication to visitors.

Capitalise on the relationships that will be developed with global sporting, media and

corporate partners (Tourism Victoria, 2002, p. 121).

Pre-Games estimates (KPMG, cited in KPMG 2006) suggested that the mega event would

generate respectively A$100 million and A$48.5 million in international and domestic event

tourism expenditure. Comparison with the official post-event study and other secondary

sources form the arbiter as to whether these estimates were realistic.

Duration and post-event

the official event economic impact study (KPMG, 2006) indicates that the CommonwealthGames performed favourably compared to the pre-Games estimates of total expenditure

accruing to international and domestic visitors. These figures were modelled as being A$173

million and A$75 million respectively, with domestic visitors taken to include those

travelling to Victoria from other states of Australia and Victorian residents that chose to

holiday in Melbourne during the time of the event (that happened to coincide with School

holidays) rather than leaving for another destination. Post-Games first time or repeat visitors,

those expected to travel to Melbourne in light of exposure to the event in the media or during

their actual Games visit, were estimated to lead to a total inducement effect of A$1.8 million

in tourism expenditure for 2007 and 2008 (KPMG, 2006). Whilst the Games was not

specifically named, recent reports suggest that Melbournes overall events strategy is

accountable for Melbourne bucking the general trend towards a levelling out in Australias

international visitor numbers (Topsfield, 2008).

Figures suggest that the Commonwealth Games attracted a total number of 157,933 people to

Melbourne whose purpose of visit was collectively classed in the visitor group comprising

spectators, visitors and business (KPMG, 2006). Approximately 36% of this cohort was

from overseas, 38% from interstate, 23% from Regional Victoria and 3% from metropolitan

Melbourne (those foregoing holidays to attend the event). Unfortunately the official report

did not provide a breakdown of numbers within this group to reveal how many people were

classed as spectators and visitors. Preuss, et al. (2007) experienced similar difficulties in

adequately identifying visitor groups to the 2002 Manchester Games, based on the official

impact study (Maunsell, 2004), for the purpose of calculating the impact of new money

generated. Beyond the rather non-descript label of overseas, the KPMG report also fails to

shed any light on the origin of international visitors and whether the 2006 Commonwealth

Games helped stimulate tourism from specifically Commonwealth markets. Once again,

Preuss et als (2007) study provides some clarification of this picture in the context of

Manchester. They noted that 8.7% of respondents to their study were visitors from overseas,

with just over half coming to the UK from Australia (2.7%) and New Zealand (1.9%).

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CONCLUSIONS

The staging of a mega-event is typically motivated by three key concerns:(1) Putting the city on the world map(2) Boosting economic investment in the city and attracting capital (for improving urbaninfrastructure and redevelopment); and(3) Reimagining the city.

These aspects also figure prominently in what the Indian Government hoped to achieve bybringing the Games to Delhi. Some aspects of this policy or objectives may seem to bemisfired at the moment but only the future of the tourism in india, especially delhi willcalculate the exact returns from the large investments made in these games. Let us hope it canbe an answer to the questions put forward in the form of criticism by some people about thehuge investments made in the CWG 2010.