Transport and tourism investments for hosting big events: the case of the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Volos, Greece

Transcription

1 Transport and tourism investments for hosting big events: the case of the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Volos, Greece M. Vougioukas EuroTrans Consulting Ltd S Divane EuroTrans Consulting Ltd G Thymiakou EuroTrans Consulting Ltd 1. INTRODUCTION The paper presents the opportunities that are offered to cities organizing and hosting big events, such as athletic games (Olympics, Mediterranean Games) and focuses on the case of the Mediterranean Games 2013, which are being organized and will be hosted by the city of Volos, Greece, in cooperation with the city of Larissa, Greece. The examples of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games experience and the London 2012 Olympic Games preparation are given and the two cases are compared in order to identify the best practices and learn form their mistakes. Conclusions are drawn on how similar cities can exploit the benefits and the legacy of hosting big sporting events for their transport networks and tourism development. 2. HOSTING A BIG EVENT Without doubt, being the host of a big event will put the city in the international spotlight and the city will gain remarkable economic benefits (income, employment and infrastructure) in hosting events such as the Olympics, while becoming a very popular travel destination. Thus, the economies of the city and its surrounding areas, especially tourism-related core industries throughout the country will be benefited from the event, including the investment in the event-related infrastructures, such as the construction of subway lines, railways, highways, airport and environmental management projects. Improving the city s infrastructures has become the principal incentive to bid for hosting a big event. Hosting such an event helps pool resources for urban development, which even implies that if it was not for the sake of it, it would have been difficult to speed up city s development in such a short period of time. Taking the Olympic Games as an example, it normally takes a city 6 to 7 years to prepare for the opening of the Olympic Games. During this time, the construction of various sports competition venues, transportation system, communication and services facilities is taking place and requires a large number of labour. Regarding the Sports Development and Facilities, the sports facilities built for the Olympics will not be left idle after the Games, but they will be available for sports training and open to the public. Association for European Transport and contributors

2 Planning and managing the transportation infrastructure for the Olympic Games is a complex and difficult task. Host cities already have traffic problems and must secure acceptable levels of service for continuously increasing traffic needs. A large and systematic effort is necessary to manage the addition of large and concentrated (in terms of both space and time) traffic generated by Olympic movements, and it requires a considerable improvement of the existing infrastructure (Frantzeskakis John M., Frantzeskekis Michael J., 2006). Furthermore, ex-ante evaluation of the infrastructure should be foreseen, in order to secure their best exploitation and use after the Olympic Games. The increased tourist flows generated by hosting the Olympic Games leads to investments in the tourism industry, which are fostered by the transport infrastructures, as they will serve the increased number of tourists that will need to be transferred to the Olympic venues. The tourism related investments include the hosting infrastructure, such as the hotels, as well as the investments in the tourism services, such as Visitor-Tourist Information Centres, Info-kiosks in the city, Guided Tours services etc. The interrelation between the transport and tourism investments is very strong as they depend on each other in order to function correctly. 3. THE CASE OF ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES 2004 The City of Athens, Greece was the host and organizer of the 2004 Olympic Games, which were held four years ago and the results of the investments that took place are now being evaluated. It was necessary for Athens to make a concerted effort in preparing and supporting the Olympic Games and an even greater effort to implement the foreseen infrastructures. Athens, Greece, was a badly congested metropolitan area before the Olympic Games, with some 4.5 million inhabitants, a fast increasing car ownership rate of 350 cars per 1,000 inhabitants and only 30 percent of daily movements using public transport. A severe lack of off-street parking resulted in some 25,000 illegally parked vehicles every day in the central area and greatly contributed to traffic congestion. In the "Transportation" chapter of the 2004 candidacy file, a large number of projects were proposed to expand and improve the transportation infrastructure, as well as a systematic traffic management effort. Some projects were under construction, such as a new international airport, extensive additions and improvements to the metro system and a freeway bypassing the central area of Athens and connecting the new airport. The evaluation report of the International Olympic Committee stated that Athens had significant problems with airport access and transportation in the city, so major projects were proposed such as the completion of Attiki Odos, a highway that went through Athens and connected the City with the airport and that eastern and southern suburban space in just a few minutes, as well as the extension of the Metro Lines and the Tramway. Association for European Transport and contributors

3 The most important transport infrastructures in the City of Athens are shown below: Olympic Network Road support projects: 120 km new, modern roads and 90 km upgraded roads - 40 fly-overs Attiko (Athens) Metro km new metro lines Upgraded Athens-Piraeus Electric Railway stations Suburban railway- 32 km suburban railway (reaching the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos) Tram Network km tram network New Airport Eleftherios Venizelos Airport Αttiki Odos Management Projects and Traffic control, and a new, ultra-modern Traffic Management Centre Modern train stations Parking lots in central locations, with new management systems Transport projects at Olympic sites Sources: General Secretarial for the Olympic Games / ATHENS 2004 Organising Committee The Athens 2004 Olympic Games provided Greece with an opportunity to upgrade its tourism industry and its general image throughout the world. The country ranks an attractive 15th on the list of the global tourism destinations and attracted more than 14 million visitors in 2001, a number that is 30% higher than its population (ELKE, The Hellenic Centre for Investment / GNTO, The Greek National Tourism Organisation). The Greek government, through agencies such as the Greek National Tourist Organisation, the Hellenic Centre for Investment, and Hellenic Tourist Properties S.A., has instituting policies and programmes designed to upgrade existing facilities and properties, attract investors to a wide variety of new projects, and diversify tourist products so that a host of alternative, highquality tourist options become part of the national tourist identity. Some of the most important benefits to Greece's tourist potential were the widespread infrastructure improvements. Lots of major projects have been completed during the Athens 2004 Olympics as the nation's highways, airports, ports, marinas, and telecommunications facilities become world class, they support the increasingly complex and diverse needs of today's demanding travellers. Additionally, incentives for tourism investment offered by the Greek government covered a wide range of areas, regions, and categories. Association for European Transport and contributors

4 4. THE PREPARATION OF THE 2012 OLYMPICS IN LONDON The City of London, UK has been selected to host and organize the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. London has undertaken the organization of the 2012 Olympics in 2003 and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has prepared and has been keeping under review a plan to address transport matters relating to the Games. The transport strategy focuses on building on London s existing transport system and infrastructure and driving a series of transport enhancements to meet transport demand during the Games. Just as importantly, the strategy focuses on providing a valuable legacy for London and the UK before and after the Games. The five key objectives of the transport strategy for London are to: provide safe, secure, inclusive, fast and reliable transport for the Olympic Family and Paralympic Family client groups provide frequent, reliable, friendly, inclusive, accessible, environmentally friendly and simple transport for spectators and visitors from all around the UK and overseas leave a positive legacy and facilitate the regeneration of east London; keep London and the rest of the UK moving during the Games and thus make it a positive experience to host the Games and achieve maximum value for money for every pound spent on transport. (Source: Transport Plan for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Summary First edition October 2007, Olympic Delivery Authority) Transport for the Games will be delivered through a partnership between the ODA s (Olympic Delivery Authority) Transport team and a number of transport authorities. The transport improvements will include projects in 4 major transport means: Rail Railway lines, trains and stations are being upgraded to cope with the thousands of participants, volunteers and spectators who will travel to the Games each day. Ten lines, most of which are being upgraded, currently serve the Olympic Park area. By mid-2010, a new DLR line from Stratford International to Canning Town will be operational. A twelfth the centerpiece of the Games-time rail service will be the High Speed 1 rail link from the Channel Tunnel. A new signaling system on the London Underground Jubilee Line will reduce journey times and improve train frequency, increasing the capacity of the line by 25 per cent. Another 4bn of improvements are also underway across the Tube network. Work to treble the capacity at the station is also underway. Future work will include re-opening a disused subway, a new Central Line platform and nine new lifts to boost accessibility. Association for European Transport and contributors

5 Buses Transport for London is currently implementing its ibus initiative. A state-ofthe-art automatic vehicle location system and a comprehensive communication system will be introduced across the capital by the end of The key benefits for passengers will be improved predictions at bus stops, precise real-time information on board buses with visual displays and announcements particularly helpful to disabled passengers or those facing language barriers. River The waterways connecting the River Lea to the River Thames will be improved to enable them to be used during construction to allow materials to be transported to and from the site by 350 tonne barge. Cycling and on foot A network of cycle lanes and walking routes will be developed, connecting the Park and other venues into the wider London networks. (Source: According to the organisers, the transport enhancements planned for the London 2012 Games will open up east London and transform the Lower Lea Valley into one of the best connected areas in the capital. These improvements will be the catalyst for economic and social regeneration that will go far beyond 2012 and far beyond sport. The transport enhancements will remain in place to allow easy access to the new sporting facilities after the Games, and for people who will live and work around the Olympic Park. Τhe Games also aim at increasing the awareness of cycling and walking as a healthy means of travel, which is something that all of London can benefit from for generations to come. The benefits will be more than just improvements to infrastructure, but will boost the numbers of people using public transport when travelling to and around London. Finally, the improvements focus on accessibility for everyone. 5. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO CASES (ATHENS 2004 AND LONDON 2012) Comparing the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympic Games transport and tourism infrastructure, we can see the same pattern as far as the public transport is concerned. In both cities the public transport that connects the parts of the cities, with emphasis on the athletic facilities and the transport hubs (airport, train station etc), was enhanced with extension of the existing means of transportation and creation of new. Furthermore, emphasis was put on the accessibility of the new infrastructures for all. Association for European Transport and contributors

6 In Athens, the transport infrastructure had to start from a lower standard, as the metro system was rather new and limited, there was no Tram system and the connection with the new airport and other means of transportation was rather poor. The interventions were combined with investments for the tourists, such as the Unification of the Archaeological sites of Athens, the improvement of the Hotel facilities, the improvement of the sites of interest such as the Museums etc. The goal was to ensure a permanent legacy for future generations and to increase the attractiveness of the city for the tourism industry. In the case of London, special emphasis was put on the improvement and promotion of declining areas of the city, such as the East Side, which is being regenerated and connected with the other parts of the city. Improvements were also made to the public transport, with emphasis on the cycling and walking and good promotion of the public transportation, in order to be the only means of transfer within the city in the future. Both cities benefited a lot form the organisation of the Olympic games, as far as transport and tourism infrastructures are concerned, with Athens creating form the start a great part of its public transport in the city centre and establishing as well a good connection with the new airport (Attiki Odos), while London is enhancing its existing public transportation and is regenerating parts of the city. London, having already more advanced transport and tourism infrastructures has turned to more sophisticated and focused interventions, while Athens took the opportunity for creating a whole new system of public transportation. It is rather early to criticize the two cities for their investments during the Olympics, especially for London, for which only an ex-ante evaluation can be done, but generally there seems to be a strong positive impact from hosting the bog events on both cities. 6. THE 2013 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES IN VOLOS, GREECE 6.1. The city of Volos The city of Volos is built at the innermost point of the Pagasetic Gulf and at the foot of Mount Pilio or Pelion (the land of the Centaurs). Volos is the only outlet towards the sea from Thessaly and the country's largest agricultural region. With a population of around , it is an important industrial centre, while its port provides a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Volos is the third of Greece's major commercial ports, but also gains significant traffic because of its connection by ferry and hydrofoil with the nearby Sporades Islands, which include Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos that consist a very popular destination for the tourists. There are also connections to other island of the Aegean Sea like Limnos, Lesvos, Chios and Skyros. Association for European Transport and contributors

7 Volos is the most recent of the Greek port cities, with a remarkably large proportion of modern buildings, erected in the wake of the catastrophic earthquakes of Volos includes the municipalities of Volos, Nea Ionia and Iolkos, as well as smaller suburban communities. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism, and with its improved infrastructure the city is increasingly dynamic. Home to the University of Thessaly, one of the most important in country, the city also offers a wide range of facilities for the organization of conferences, exhibitions and major cultural and scientific events, together with internationalstandard sporting amenities. Volos participated in the Olympic Games, and as an Olympic City helped to present a new face of contemporary Greece to a world audience. The city has also since hosted a succession of athletic events, such as the European Athletic Championships and will host the Mediterranean Games in Volos Transportation Nowadays In the frame of the preparation of the Olympic Games 2004, the City of Volos has upgraded the transport infrastructures, the tourism facilities as well as all the public services. All land transportation reaches Volos, while the International Airport of Central Greece in Nea Anchialos links the city to international destinations, and the Port of Volos provides links to the islands, mostly the Sporades, as well as to some destinations in Mount Pilio. Volos is also linked through E75 Highway Axis (most often known as PATHE) with Northern and Southern Greece. Beyond this, the Axis E65 that will be completed by 2012, will be the gateway to Western Greece. The city of Volos is linked with Athens and Thessaloniki by the railway. The city faces acute problems of traffic congestion, especially during summer, when the population is almost doubled due to the influx of tourists. The pattern of land uses has a major impact on the traffic conditions in the city. The dominant means of transport is the private car (estimate of 88,000 cars/day), whilst the use of bicycle, is not facilitated under present conditions. Public transport is carried out by a co-operative of bus owners, which recently has been transformed into an S.A., having the monopoly on urban transportation until In general the main characteristics of the public transport system are the low level of service, the long travel times and delays and the poor connections to the suburban areas. All those have an impact on the usage of the bus network Preparation of the Mediterranean Games in Volos The preparation for the Mediterranean Games has already started in the City of Volos. There are many transport infrastructures that are being planned in Association for European Transport and contributors

8 order to satisfy the transport needs of the Mediterranean Games not only in the city of Volos but also in the suburban area transports. Airport of Nea Anchialos The first project, and one of the most important, is the upgrade of the airport of Central Greece (Nea Anchialos). The exploitation, the upgrade and the development of the civil airport of Central Greece is a major aim for the financial development not only of the city but also for central Greece. Until today, the airport of Central Greece, had only few flights during the week, but it is important that enforced the tourism attendance from Europe. The upgrade of the airport is very important for the development of the area the attraction of visitors and tourists and the enforce of the business dexterity. The planned projects include: the manufacture of a parking area for the airplanes a new building for the air-station and the configuration the area road access from PATHE and connection with the railway lines of Volos The project is already in progress and a part is already completed. Road Network There is a great need of the Road network in the Urban Area of Volos and the suburban area to be upgraded and repaired. It is very important to face the traffic problems of the city and also the connection to the other cities with most important the connection with the city of Larisa that participates in the Mediterranean Games organisation. In this field of infrastructures there are several planned projects aiming to the decongestion of Volos Centre and the improvement of the transport conditions (time of transfers, security etc) and the upgrade of the connection between the neighbour cities. In order to implement the aims referred above, the proposed projects include: reconstruction of the damaged parts of the roads in urban and suburban area erection of road lights and manufacture of safety bars improvement of the roads in the city of Volos Railway Railway lines, trains and stations also need to be upgraded to cope with the thousands of the visitors that the Mediterranean Games will attract. The most important need will be the fast connection with Larisa, the other cities of Thessaly region, the airport of Central Greece and the Mediterranean Village. Association for European Transport and contributors

9 The proposed project for that will fulfil those needs is the construction of the high speed suburban railway using electricity. Light Tramway A new dimension will be given in the city s transport system with the implementation of a Light Tramway system. The Tramway consists one of the most important transport way in the city and will connect the centre of Volos with Nea Ionia and the several sport venues in the urban area. Except the Projects mentioned above, there are several projects concerning the solution of the traffic problem of the city of Volos. Many parking areas and buildings are going to be implemented in the city in order to face the problem of the traffic congestion and a new system of street signs is going to be erected to manage the traffic problems. 7. CONCLUSIONS Summing up the paper, in the first part we saw how cities bidding for and potentially hosting big sporting events can benefit from transport and tourism development and investments that otherwise would not be possible. The example of the Athens Olympics in 2004 followed, showing how a city s tourism and transport facilities benefited by the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. In London 2012 example, several transport and tourism improvements are anticipated for the 2012 Olympics currently in preparation. The paper after reviewing the experience of the Athens 2004 Olympics transport infrastructure and facilities as well as the preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games in terms of tourism transport planned facilities, drew up some comparisons between the two cities and lessons for other cities that aim to host similar big sporting events. In all cases, there is a need for such investments to be safeguarded for future use after the end of the event they are aimed to serve initially. The case of the Mediterranean Games to be held in Volos and Larisa, Greece in June 2013 was finally presented on the basis of similar events in mediumsize cities. The Mediterranean Games for Volos will be what the Olympic Games were for Athens as far as the transport and tourism development and facilities are concerned. A combined transport and tourism development strategy is put forward in order to capitalise on the expected benefits of the 2013 Mediterranean Games in the city of Volos for an early stage. The paper showed how similar cities can exploit the benefits and the legacy of hosting big sporting events for their transport networks and tourism development. Association for European Transport and contributors

10 Bibliography Frantzeskakis, John M., Frantzeskakis Michael J. (2006) Athens 2004 Olympic Games: Transportation Planning, Simulation and Traffic Management, Institute of Transportation Engineers. ITE Journal, Oct Transport Plan for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Summary First edition October 2007, Olympic Delivery Authority Consultation draft Transport Plan of London 2012, Olympic Delivery Authority The Role of the Prefectural Authority of Magnesia in the successful organisation of the 2013 Mediterranean Games and in spreading the development benefits to the Prefecture of Magnesia and Thessaly Region, Prefecture of Magnesia, 2008 Internet Sources Association for European Transport and contributors