GSI EVENT STUDY / HEMPEL SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AARHUS 2018
Stakeholders & Organisation
City of Aarhus The objectives set by the city council were achieved in a number of ways. Early planning and the creation of partnerships have been highlighted as key contributors to the delivery of the event. At an early stage, the city worked to establish the infrastructure requirements of the event before reserving a certain number of hotel rooms to ensure the correct capacity was available for participants. An unforeseen influx in the use of rental accommodation platforms such as Airbnb in recent years meant that hotel rooms reserved ahead of the event were not fully utilised, resulting in a somewhat detrimental effect to the event budget. However, as the expenditure was still entering the local economy, this was not an issue for the city council or OA. Partnerships, such as those with domestic broadcasters, assisted the city with its aims of generating exposure nationally. The Opening Ceremony was broadcast live in Denmark, raising the profile of the event and encouraging people to attend. A survey was conducted by the department for commercial business in the city which helped identify partners which could contribute to the success of the championships and which shared similar values. The Port of Aarhus was a key partner due to its vast experience in managing the harbour area, shipping and logistics. A close working relationship between the organisers and the port authorities ensured safe race areas and shipping route crossings between events, minimising any possible disruption in the Bay of Aarhus.
Key objectives •
Support city growth, including international branding
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Develop and contribute to the wider city development plan
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Provide citizen experiences, both for residents and visitors to Aarhus
INTERVIEWS Jørn Sønderkjær Christensen Head of Aarhus Events City of Aarhus
Aarhus held the title of European Capital for Volunteering in 2018, following on from its European Capital of Culture title in 2017. The city harnessed the benefits of holding such a title by recruiting more than 1,100 volunteers for the event without issue thanks to the profile of volunteerism. Its experience of hosting cultural events throughout 2017 gave the city fresh inspiration which it has transferred into sport and cultural events. This could be seen in the delivery of the Maritime Festival, an innovative concept which aimed to bring sailing to the shores and provide an engaging and family friendly atmosphere for people to enjoy maritime sports both on land and at sea. The city believed that if tax payers money was to be used for the event, it is important that citizens receive something in return. As a result, the Steering Committee agreed that the Sailing World Championships could not happen without a Maritime Festival that would provide a wide range of experiences for the public. A further focus of the Steering Committee was the need for a sustainability programme integrated within the event. Denmark is world-renowned as a leader in sustainability. This connected well with World Sailing which has made sustainability a priority for the global sailing community. Aarhus was afforded the opportunity to showcase and trial innovative solutions which aim to make sailing events more sustainable and to raise awareness of the issues faced. Further details on these initiatives can be found within the Sustainability chapter. 26
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