Illusory Boost To Tourism

Despite the hype spewed forth by the IOC and politicians as to the tourism benefits arising from hosting the Olympics, the reality is in fact very different.

That at least is the view of the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).

The association have issued a report that states that the London 2012 Olympic Games may in fact have a "detrimental" impact on tourism in London.

The report notes that cities that host the games suffer a drop in tourism in the years around the event.

ETOA state that London will most likely see a fall of around 2.5 million visitors and a loss of £1.5BN of revenue.

The claims made by politicians, and those with a financial interest in the games, of a boost from the Olympics are "wholly illusory" according to ETOA.

ETOA used data from the past six Olympics to compile the report. All the host cities experienced a major disruption to their normal tourism market, and none showed any obvious signs of tourism growth.

Beijing experienced a fall in international visitor arrivals of 30% in the month before the games.

Sydney lost "significant ground" to other Australian and New Zealand cities.

ETOA Executive Director, Tom Jenkins, is quoted by the BBC:

"We have yet to have a games where tourism has not been disrupted, and disrupted in a way that causes real harm.

Even in the case of Athens, where they carefully restricted new capacity, there were considerable losses before and after the games both in the capital and throughout Greece."

The costs of these ruinous games clearly outweigh the benefits.

Question: Why on earth do cities still compete to hold them?

Answer: The egos of the politicians, and the money to be made by the vested interests (eg multi nationals) with no local stake in the city/country hosting them.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Improving The Brand

Locog CEO Paul Deighton proved that he is not the man for the job of running Locog, nor should he be entrusted with taxpayers' money, when he said the other day:

"We're looking to put on a brilliant games that really works. To leave behind all those legacies and to improve the brand."

Why, pray tell, should the British taxpayer be funding the brand building of the IOC?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Retro Dining

BT are planning to reopen their revolving restaurant, at the top of the BT Tower in central London, in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

The restaurant has been closed to the public since 1980.

Regrettably, instead of looking for a good chef who can cook well, they are looking for a celebrity chef to oversee the restaurant.

The restaurant contains a 10ft-wide revolving section of floor that provides diners with a 360-degree view of London, it takes 20 minutes to complete a full revolution.

Given its limited seating (around 70) it is highly unlikely that the ordinary citizen will ever have the opportunity to dine there, I guarantee it that will be swamped with corporate bookings and (given the fact that a "celebrity chef" will be running it) the prices will be out of reach to most.

Which is sad as the Olympics legacy, I assumed, was meant to be for all the people not just the privileged few.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
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Olympics Spice

It would seem that the Spice Girls (a pop group that was famous in the 90's) may be planning a comeback just in time for the 2012 Olympics, and actually perform at the opening event.

All very nice, except for the fact that they already have made a "comeback" in 2007.

Has there been no new British musical talent since the 90's?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
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Waste of Resources?

Congratulations to Craig Coulthard, who has won a £460K lottery funded commission for "Artists Taking The Lead", to chop down some trees to make way for a football pitch as one of 12 art projects commissioned to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics.

The "Forest Pitch" will be located in the Borders area; the trees will be used to create a stand, goalposts and shelter.

Two football matches will be played, the pitch will then be left to return to nature.

Errrm...call be a boring old accountant, but isn't this rather a waste of resources (both environmental and financial)?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
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An American in London

Doug Arnot has been appointed Director of Games Operations, by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).

Arnot will be responsible for the overall planning, coordination and delivery of the 2012 London Olympics.

He was an executive vice president of the 1994 World Cup in the USA, then he went on to become managing director of venues and operations for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was also managing director for event operations at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Oddly enough, whilst working for the Salt Lake organising committee, Arnot pleaded guilty in 2000 to a minor assault charge for punching a pedestrian during a road rage incident.

He sprent 10 days in jail, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, a fine, 12 months of probation and mandatory anger management counselling.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Boris's Massive Erection

Full marks to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, for thinking big.

He has plans for a massive erection, to be erected for the London 2012 Olympics, that will rival the Eiffel Tower.

The 400ft tower (a cross between a Native American totem pole and a pylon) will be built at the Stratford Olympics site, and the £15M cost will be funded by Lakshmi Mittal the steel magnate.

At night "Boris's Erection" will be illuminated using power generated from solar panels.

Well, let's see how this goes then:)

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
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The Black Hole

The London Development Agency (LDA) was given a well deserved drubbing in the London Assembly's Budget and Performance Committee Pre-Budget Report for its lamentable financial controls that caused a £159M financial black hole.

The shortfall has "not only damaged the Agency's reputation but has significantly reduced its resources".

"The financial prospects for the LDA in 2010/11 are bleak.

Together with clawbacks from central government of previously allocated grants, this shortfall will result in the LDA's available resources being over 20% less in 2010/11 than previously planned.

This comes in a period when the LDA will be trying to establish credibility with Londoners as the lead agency on economic development and regeneration in the capital in a challenging economic environment."

Committee chairman John Biggs said:

"The LDA must now demonstrate that lessons have been learned, controls improved and sufficient testing on budget areas carried out to ensure budgets going forward can be relied upon."

Quite!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"