Developing A Successful Infrastructure For Convention & Event Tourism

A multidisciplinary approach to the challenges of developing a “complete package” for convention and event tourism

To be successful in today’s competitive convention and event tourism market, communities need to provide a complete package that includes quality lodging, convenient and affordable transportation, restaurants, entertainment, and tourist appeal. Developing a Successful Infrastructure for Convention and Event Tourism presents a multidisciplinary approach to the challenges of developing larger infrastructural needs. This unique book closely examines what it takes for a destination to be successful, providing a balanced approach to developing convention and event tourism. Respected experts from a variety of disciplines such as economics, tourism, communications, law, and public policy discuss practical strategies and what infrastructure should be in place to better ensure success for a convention destination.

Developing a Successful Infrastructure for Convention and Event Tourism provides insights into various complex aspects of developing the infrastructure for convention and event tourism, including economic development, land use issues, politics, social equity, marketing issues, security issues, governance, and citizen participation. Tourism professionals can get a broad and comprehensive look at how to best apply this expert knowledge to their own situations. This text is extensively referenced and provides tables to clearly present data.

Topics in Developing a Successful Infrastructure for Convention and Event Tourism include:

• public financing for headquarter convention hotels
• private sector investments in hotels
• assumptions and issues that are critical to reliable estimates of the economic impacts of event tourism
• the evaluation of economic impact studies
• a case study of what Korea did to foster rapid growth to become a major player in the international convention market
• emerging issues facing convention and event tourism
• the use of convention centers as staging grounds for disaster recovery
• and more!

Developing a Successful Infrastructure for Convention and Event Tourism is a horizon-expanding text invaluable to tourism educators, tourism students, researchers, local and state government officials, policymakers, and anyone involved with local economic development

About The Author:

Robert R. Nelson, PhD, is Chair of the University of Delaware's Hotel, Restaurant, & Institutional Management Department. He is widely published and considered a global leader in the area of tourism development. Dr. Nelson has consulted with and provided testimony on tourism development issues to a wide range of organizations and government agencies. Among his publications is the edited book Current Issues in Convention and Exhibition Facility Development from The Haworth Hospitality Press. He is Editor of the Journal of Convention & Event Tourism. He is a graduate of Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and has an MBA from Drexel University. Dr. Nelson received his PhD from the University of Delaware's School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy.

Table Of Contents:

What Are Cities Really Committing to When They Build a Convention Center? (J. Dana Clark)
Public Financing of Headquarter Hotels in the United States (Robert R. Nelson)
The Rhetoric of Financial Decision Making: An Analysis of Public Discourse Concerning the New Washington Convention Center (Daphne A. Jameson)
Estimating the Economic Impact of Event Tourism: A Review of Issues and Methods (Nancy M. Hodur and F. Larry Leistritz1)
Measuring the Economic Impacts of Convention Centers and Event Tourism: A Discussion of the Key Issues (Ash Morgan and Simon Condliffe)
Convention and Exhibition Center Development in Korea (Myong Jae Lee and Kyong Mo Lee)
Kelo: Is It Much To Do About Nothing? (JeAnna Abbott)
Convention Centers as Staging Grounds for Disaster Recovery: Lessons Learned from 911 and Katrina (Marvin J. Cetron, Fred J. DeMicco, Robert R. Nelson, Warren L. Reuther, and John A. Williams)
Index
Reference Notes Included

Special Features:

Developing a Successful Infrastructure for Convention & Event Tourism

What People Are Saying

A COMPREHENSIVE, SOPHISTICATED AND INSIGHTFUL REVIEW of ALL aspects of convention center developing and the resulting tourism impact on the community. Actual cases make it A MUST READ for civic and financial community decision makers as well as academicians, both teachers and students. . . . Addresses the balances that must be struck between the risks and rewards of major tourism building projects designed to attract visitors for the economic viability and growth of the region. International in scope, this publication CAN BENEFIT EVEN THE MOST SEASONED PROFESSIONALS through a 'lessons lived, lessons learned' exposition. . . . A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITERATURE directed to the convention and event tourism industry. (William P. Fisher, PhD, Darden Chair, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida; Former Chief Execitive Officer (CEO) of both the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association)