Events Feasibility

and Development
Other books in the series
Marketing and Selling Destinations and Venues: A Convention and Events
Perspective by Tony Rogers and Rob Davidson
The Management of Events Operations by Julia Tum, Philippa Norton
and J. Nevan Wright
Innovative Marketing Communications: Strategies for the Events Industry
by Guy Masterman and Emma H. Wood
Events Design and Experience by Graham Berridge
Human Resource Management for Events: Managing the Event Workforce
by Lynn Van der Wagen
Event Studies: Theory, Research and Policy for Planned Events by Donald Getz
Conferences and Conventions: A Global Industry, 2nd edition by Tony Rogers
Risk Management for Meetings and Events by Julia Rutherford Silvers
Events Management, 3rd edition by Glenn Bowdin, Johnny Allen, William O’Toole,
Rob Harris and Ian McDonnell
 Events Feasibility
and Development
From Strategy to Operations

William O’Toole

AMSTERDAM  BOSTON  HEIDELBERG  LONDON  NEW YORK  OXFORD

PARIS  SAN DIEGO  SAN FRANCISCO  SYDNEY  TOKYO

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Dedication

I would like to thank all the people I have worked with in this exciting industry.
Tracey Hull, Ted Tooher, Marwan Bin Beyat, Hamad Al Sheikh, Habeeb Habash,
Steve Schmader, Tariq Al Asser, the wonderful event teams at Liverpool City
Council, Coffs Harbour Council, Dubai Tourism Commerce and Marketing, IIRME
and the Aqaba Development Authority, the EMBOK executive and the International
Standard in Event Management team.
The contributors to this book are numerous and I can’t name you all e it would
be as long as the book.
The event industry is full of people with integrity, creativity and warmth. In the
years of working with people in the events in numerous countries and cultures, I
have been constantly delighted by their common humanity. To all of you, this book is
dedicated. Events are organised celebrations. While people are happy they do not go
to war. God smiles when his children play. In a world that seems to be in constant
conflict, it is the celebrations of harvest, knowledge, occasions, sports and business
that provide the humanity.
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Contents
Foreword ................................................................................................................ xiii
About the Author.................................................................................................. xvii
Series Preface .........................................................................................................xix
Introduction.............................................................................................................xxi

SECTION 1 STRATEGIC FEASIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1 Event Strategy ....................................................... 3
Introduction ....................................................................................3
1.1. Strategy checklist ...........................................................................3
1.2. The event portfolio as an asset ......................................................6
1.3. Cascade of objectives...................................................................11
1.3.1. Strategic objective: Nation building through
networks of common interests...........................................18
1.3.2. Keeping the tourist at home...............................................19
Discussion topics..........................................................................19

CHAPTER 2 Preparing the Strategy .......................................... 21

Introduction ..................................................................................21
2.1. Decision criteria ...........................................................................21
2.2. Situation analysis .........................................................................24
2.2.1. The limitations of the SWOT analysis ..............................27
2.3. Stakeholder consultation ..............................................................30
2.4. The strategy template...................................................................30
2.5. Legal and regulatory environment ...............................................34
2.6. Venues ..........................................................................................35
2.6.1. Event suppliers of goods and services ..............................38
2.6.2. Event companies and event staff .......................................38
2.6.3. Event competency..............................................................39
2.6.4. Past events..........................................................................40
Discussion topics..........................................................................41

CHAPTER 3 Event Support: Directing the Development .............. 43

Introduction ..................................................................................43
3.1. Event support ...............................................................................43
3.1.1. Develop the event ..............................................................44
3.1.2. Devolve the event ..............................................................44
3.1.3. Close the event...................................................................45
3.2. Event typology .............................................................................47
3.2.1. Community events .............................................................50
3.2.2. Official events (also called civic events)...........................51
3.2.3. Major events.......................................................................51
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viii Contents

3.2.4. Business events ..................................................................51

3.2.5. Special or touring events ...................................................51
Discussion topics..........................................................................53

CHAPTER 4 Implementation of the Strategy .............................. 55

Introduction ..................................................................................55
4.1. Events unit....................................................................................55
4.1.1. Events unit: scope of work ................................................57
4.1.2. Events development position .............................................63
4.2. Events agencies ............................................................................68
4.2.1. EventBritain .......................................................................68
4.2.2. EventScotland ....................................................................69
4.2.3. Dubai Event Management Corporation.............................70
4.2.4. EventsNSW ........................................................................70
4.2.5. Other countries...................................................................70
Discussion topics..........................................................................73

CHAPTER 5 Techniques and Tools for Events Development ........ 75

5.1. Bidding and requests for tender...................................................75
5.1.1. Assessment of the tender ...................................................77
5.2. Flagship events .............................................................................84
5.3. Integrated country promotion ......................................................87
5.4. The events precinct ......................................................................88
5.5. Licensing ......................................................................................90
5.6. Events forum ................................................................................93
Discussion topics..........................................................................95

CHAPTER 6 Building Competency: Associations, Awards

and Training ......................................................... 97
Introduction ..................................................................................97
6.1. Event associations ........................................................................97
6.2. Event awards ................................................................................99
6.3. Event manual..............................................................................104
6.4. Building competency: event education and training .................108
Section 1: conclusion .................................................................115
Discussion topics........................................................................116

SECTION 2 MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 7 Management Models and the Business Case ........ 121
Introduction ................................................................................121
7.1. A model, processes, system or a body of knowledge ...............121
7.2. The event management environment: complexity
and uncertainty ...........................................................................123
 Contents ix

7.3. Phases of event management and the event life cycle ..............127
7.4. Intangibility of outcomes ...........................................................128
7.5. The business case .......................................................................129
Discussion topics........................................................................144

CHAPTER 8 Setting up the Management System ..................... 145

Introduction ................................................................................145
8.1. Event project methodology ........................................................145
8.2. Management framework as a spreadsheet .................................147
8.2.1. Contents page.................................................................148
8.2.2. The scope .......................................................................149
8.2.3. The organisation structure .............................................150
8.2.4. The stakeholder list........................................................151
8.2.5. Work breakdown structure .............................................152
8.2.6. The schedule: milestones...............................................153
8.2.7. The resources .................................................................155
8.2.8. The budget......................................................................156
8.2.9. The programme..............................................................156
8.2.10. The risk register .............................................................156
8.2.11. The site map...................................................................157
8.2.12. The event checklist ........................................................158
8.3. The developing event: a maturity model ...................................159
Conclusion..................................................................................164
Discussion topics........................................................................164

CHAPTER 9 Event Management Processes ............................. 165

Introduction ................................................................................165
9.1. From domains to a process model.............................................165
9.2. Scope management ....................................................................169
9.3. Stakeholder management ...........................................................169
9.3.1. Definition..........................................................................171
9.3.2. Priority and action............................................................174
9.3.3. Stakeholder expectations .................................................176
9.4. Sponsorship ................................................................................180
9.5. Event design ...............................................................................183
9.5.1. Site/venue location and layout ........................................183
9.5.2. Programming and the programme ...................................184
9.6. Marketing process ......................................................................185
9.6.1. Marketing mix..................................................................189
9.6.2. Promotion .........................................................................189
9.7. Financial process........................................................................190
9.7.1. Revenue............................................................................190
9.7.2. Pricing the ticket or entrance fee ....................................192
9.7.3. Revenue and resources.....................................................196
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9.7.4. Cash flow..........................................................................198

9.7.5. Cost ..................................................................................198
9.7.6. Pricing the event management services ..........................199
Conclusion..................................................................................200
Discussion topics........................................................................201

CHAPTER 10 Event Management Processes e Section Two..... 203

Introduction..............................................................................203
10.1. Time management process ......................................................203
10.1.1. Event date ....................................................................205
10.1.2. Deadline management .................................................207
10.2. Risk management process .......................................................209
10.2.1. Operational risk and upstream design.........................211
10.3. Communication process ..........................................................213
10.3.1. External communication e promotion .......................215
10.3.2. Onsite communications (OSC)....................................217
10.3.3. Event documentation, filing and archiving .................218
10.4. Procurement process................................................................218
10.4.1. Site/venue choice.........................................................219
10.4.2. Contract management..................................................221
10.5. Human resources (HR) process...............................................222
10.5.1. HR and delegation .......................................................226
Discussion topics .....................................................................228
Exercise....................................................................................228

CHAPTER 11 Event Metrics and Checklists ............................ 231

Introduction..............................................................................231
11.1. Metrics .....................................................................................231
11.1.1. Exposure profile...........................................................232
11.2. Return on investment...............................................................234
11.2.1. Return on objectives (ROO)........................................235
11.3. Case study for international ICT (Information and
Communication Technologies) company ................................241
11.4. The event checklist ..................................................................242
Discussion topics .....................................................................249

SECTION 3 OPERATION FEASIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 12 Event Operations: Upstream Design.................... 253
Introduction..............................................................................253
12.1. Operations as an outcome .......................................................253
12.2. The feasibility of the event site...............................................256
12.2.1. Success and the event site ...........................................259
12.2.2. The logistics mud map ................................................260
 Contents xi

12.3. The Feasibility Study...............................................................261

12.3.1. Research.......................................................................262
12.3.2. Feasibility headings .....................................................262
Conclusion ................................................................................264
Discussion topics ......................................................................264

CHAPTER 13 Case Studies .................................................... 265

Case Study: Heritage Concert .................................................266
Case Study: Tunnel Walk ........................................................272
Case Study: Predicting Crowd Numbers ................................276
Case Study: Planning a Torch Relay Around the World........281
Case Study: Getting the most out of Volunteers.....................286
Case Study: The Central Operations Group ...........................288
Case Study: International Buskers and Comedy Festival.......292
Case Study: Opening Ceremony of the Asian Games, Doha...297

CHAPTER 14 Dictionary of Terms........................................... 321

References, Sources and Further Reading ............................................................325
Index ......................................................................................................................329
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Foreword

Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE

President & CEO
International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World)

Over the course of my 30+ year career in festivals and events I have had the pleasure
of meeting, working with, and learning from many remarkable individuals;
consummate professionals with a passion for their work, their communities, their
countries and our common industry. And while my respect for them all is unques-
tionable, there is among them a small and special handful that I have found operate
on a different plain from the norm; forces of nature, with a vision and understanding
of the possibilities, and not only a desire, but a need and drive to explore and go
where others have not yet imagined. Bill O’Toole may be the leader of that pack.
Bill is a unique combination of practitioner, educator and e on most days e
philosopher. He sees the world as a whole, but understands, first-hand, the role that
all of the many parts and pieces must play to ensure the success of the whole. He is
not only about theory, nor does he stand behind his considerable experience as being
beyond the need for theoretical value. It is that combination of traits that has taken
Bill down many different pathways that most in our field may have walked past
unnoticed, together with his willingness as a professional and individual to share his
wealth of insights with all of us, that stand him out from the crowd.
While events and celebration have been a part of human history for as long as we
can trace back, it is only within the past several decades that those in our own
industry, and now others outside of the field, have come to recognize it more clearly
as a profession and a force that can be harnessed to positively affect people,
communities, and countries around the world. As economic and tourism drivers,
marketing and branding tools, bonding and involvement mechanisms, infrastructure
and business incentives, and much more, festivals and events are following a natural
development path, much like any human endeavor; a path that can be directed,
through a combination of creativity, knowledge and experience to maximize the
returns for everyone.
In my role as the President & CEO of the International Festivals & Events
Association (IFEA World), The Premiere Association Enabling and Supporting
Festival and Event Professionals Worldwide, I have watched with fascination and
pleasure at the continually expanding number of calls and requests from govern-
ments, corporate leadership and event organizations around the world for guidance
and information about how to best use, develop and maximize this ‘new’ tool. As
a result, the IFEA has taken on many new consulting projects, developed new
programs to recognize and share best practices, and upgraded our professional
education tools to help meet those needs.
In this new book, Event Feasibility and Development, Bill O’Toole has taken
us all another giant leap forward, drawing upon his extensive global experience
xiii
xiv Foreword

and knowledge to provide a textbook development guide that can be used by

cities, countries, tourism organizations and other professionals as you develop
your own feasibility strategies, management plans and operation systems in an
effort to maximize the success of those efforts and the resources expended in the
process.
As an added value, Bill shares with us a variety of successful case studies and
interviews with event professionals from around the world, giving readers a rare
opportunity to recognize the many similarities (and differences) that those in our
industry share and a renewed understanding of the amazing impact and return-on-
investment that events have had and will continue to have upon the world around us.
I always look forward to those opportunities when my own travels cross with
those of Bill O’Toole’s, because wherever we may be in the world I know that I will
learn something new. For the readers of this book, no matter what starting point you
may be coming from, I can promise that you, too, will learn something new and
valuable. Enjoy the journey.

PREAMBLE
This is a textbook from the frontline of events development. I realised that the
work I was doing was called events when we wrote the first textbook in 1998. Up
until then I was a promoter or entrepreneur. I owned and managed an agency with
a major record company in Australia, Larrikin Records. Our ‘product’, or line up
of talent, was unusual and therefore a large part of my work consisted of coming
up with ideas to employ them.
We approached major companies and government organisations with ideas for
events. Although they had their marketing departments, we found that the larger the
company the greater the need for outsourcing creative ideas. It was a chink in the
corporate organisation’s wall. The large organisations had the ‘muscle’ e power and
money e and we had the ideas and we were in touch with the market and the trends.
We could move quickly, looking for opportunities and gathering a project team to
organise an innovative event.
Event management as a business, at this stage, was unheard of. Most event
organisers were seen as the ‘party people’, the people who put on a party. It was
regarded as low down the corporate hierarchy and, basically, anyone who has
organised a children’s birthday party could do it. This was not helped by the attitude
of the event planners, who kept the secrets to themselves. At that stage, their secrecy
was their competitive edge. The secret of a successful corporate function was the
knowledge that gave them an edge on the competition. It has the not-so-insignificant
effect that the event could not go ahead without the event planner. The concepts of
accountability, status reports, management competency and costebenefit analysis
are a recent addition to the science and art of event management.
There were two trends that changed the secrecy and mystery of event manage-
ment. First was the growth in importance of events. Numerous experts in the field,
 Foreword xv

such as Don Getz and Julia Rutherford Silvers, have commented on the exponential
growth of events. They have grown in number and importance. At the same time the
term ‘event’ has expanded to include sports, exhibitions, meetings and community
celebrations. As a result a large company found it was involved in numerous events.
They organised internal events, such as staff parties, training seminars and incen-
tives. They used events to market their products and services such as product
launches and exhibitions. They supported community events as part of their
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). They sponsored major events such as the
sports and festivals. When viewed from the event perspective, the company was
heavily involved in events. Exactly the same was happening to local authorities such
as councils, governments and government departments. The organisation of events
was distributed across numerous company divisions. The marketing department was
concerned with product launches, openings and the odd travelling exhibition. The
executive assistant or communications team organised the seminars and confer-
ences. Sponsorship of events was controlled by a combination of marketing and
finance. Human resources organised the training and a recruitment event. Everyone
had a hand in the staff party.
The next trend was the arrival of formal risk management. I won’t go into the
reasons for the growth of risk management, suffice it to point out that it is here to
stay. In the event context, risk management provides a pathway of accountability for
any risks. If something goes wrong, the responsibility for the fault will find its way
via the risk management plans until it rests with those responsible. If there is an
incident at an event, the responsibility may be apportioned to the board of directors
of the company. No longer can the senior management of an organisation say they
are not responsible for the operations of the staff party. Although this varies with
different countries, laws concerning corporate responsibility and board liability are
certainly spreading rapidly around the world.
Risk management and the growth in importance of events imply that management
of the event must be competent. This reflects the maturing of the event industry.
The large companies were fascinated. They knew there was a return on invest-
ment for events. The new telcos and the software companies were heavily involved
in events. By sponsoring the right event the highly competitive mobile telephone
companies could beat their opposition and get into a new market dominated by the
government telecommunication company. This produced the new term for many
promotional events-experiential marketing.
The events and festivals we organised ranged from a 12-day magic festival to
a concert in the middle of Borneo (Indonesia) with the local Dayaks. In one case I
organised a 2-day public awareness event in a swamp. It was a 9-hour drive from
a major city and had no infrastructure. By carefully developing the event, the result
was a live broadcast to Asia and the Pacific, a CD and a video that grossed millions
of dollars, as well as the event itself. I had no idea when I began the project that this
would be the result.
I heard the term ‘it’ll never work’ so often that I took it as a challenge. The
problem with events feasibility and development is that events are special and if
xvi Foreword

someone thought they would work, it would already be happening. Inevitably, there
will be many people who cannot imagine a new event.
Events development is not a linear path. The growth of an event e I refer to
increase in quality and size e does not follow a simple ratio. Putting more money
into an event does not necessarily mean that the event will grow proportionally.
Doubling the amount of advertising or promotion does not mean doubling the
audience.
Events feasibility and development are the most rapid growing areas of the
industry. The fast developing economies of Asia, South and East Africa and the Gulf
are hungry for events. Unfortunately, in my opinion, their first response is to ‘buy in’
major events with little thought to the legacy of the event.
In part this text is written to assist those countries to develop their events and gain
a maximum return to their populations from the events they have bought from
overseas. These major events can leave a real legacy of knowledge and skills. One
must realise that the current major events e particularly sporting events e that are
sold around the world were originally developed by enthusiasts. From the Grand
Prix to the Olympics, it was local enthusiasts who created them. The lesson is that
a country can develop its own major events (and sell them to other countries) by
assisting local enthusiasts.
My recent work has been in Jordan, United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In each of these countries there is a vibrant culture and
innumerable local events. In Entebbe and Khartoum I have been training the UN
event staff in event management. In the Sudan, a country ravaged by strife, events
will help heal the social and economic wounds. After years in the doldrums, the
economies of Uganda and Kenya are powering ahead and will be in need of more
commercial and public events to assist their development. I am privileged to ’sit in
the front row’ and take part in this unfolding history.
About the Author

William O’Toole, BSc, MEng

Manager of EPMS Pty Ltd
Founding Director of Event Management Body of Knowledge (EMBOK)
Events Development Consultant to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
William is recognised as a key person in the creation and development of the
event sector around the world. His experience has spanned the globe and events from
operations to management to strategy development.
Recently, he worked as an events development specialist for the governments of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the European Union, Dubai Tourism Commerce
and Marketing, the Aqaba Development Authority and numerous councils and
local authorities. He trained events staff in the UN in Khartoum and Entebbe. He
originated and advised on the inaugural events conferences for both Kenya and
Uganda.
William has been creating and organising events for more than 30 years. His
experience in developing, managing or consulting events spans over 40 countries.
He is a sought-after presenter and teacher in event management in Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan, UK, USA, Malaysia and the Middle East. He is
an Event Management Consultant to public and private organisations for events
throughout Australia and Asia, including numerous tourism and regional authorities
on their event support mechanisms.
He authored two international texts on event management, ‘Festival and Special
Event Management’ and ‘Corporate Event Project Management’. These textbooks
are used for courses around the world and have been translated into Chinese, Korean
and Portuguese. His adaptation of project management to event and festival
management as published on his CD-ROM, found at www.epms.net, is used for
events in USA, Europe and China.
William originated the concept of the event management body of knowledge
(EMBOK) which has grown into an international body and is the basis of the
International Competency Standard for Event Management. He is not only versed in
theory William currently organises concerts, festivals and other events around
Australia and throughout Asia.

xvii
xviii About the author

Author with event managers in bedouin tent, Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Photo courtesy of
Unaizah Governor’s Office
Series Preface

The events industry, including festivals, meetings, conferences, exhibitions, incen-

tives, sports and a range of other events, is rapidly developing and makes a signifi-
cant contribution to business and leisure related tourism. With increased regulation
and the growth of government and corporate involvement in events, the environment
has become much more complex. Event managers are now required to identify and
service a wide range of stakeholders and to balance their needs and objectives.
Though mainly operating at national levels, there has been significant growth of
academic provision to meet the needs of events and related industries and the
organizations that comprise them. The English speaking nations, together with key
Northern European countries, have developed programmes of study leading to the
award of diploma, undergraduate and post-graduate awards. These courses focus on
providing education and training for future event professionals, and cover areas such
as event planning and management, marketing, finance, human resource manage-
ment and operations. Modules in events management are also included in many
tourism, leisure, recreation and hospitality qualifications in universities and colleges.
The rapid growth of such courses has meant that there is a vast gap in the
available literature on this topic for lecturers, students and professionals alike.
To this end, the Events Management Series has been created to meet these needs to
create a planned and targeted set of publications in this area.
Aimed at academic and management development in events management and
related studies, the Events Management Series:
 provides a portfolio of titles which match management development needs
through various stages;
 prioritizes publication of texts where there are current gaps in the market, or
where current provision is unsatisfactory;
 develops a portfolio of both practical and stimulating texts;
 provides a basis for theoretical and research underpinning for programmes of
study;
 is recognized as being of consistent high quality;
 will quickly become the series of first choice for both authors and users.

xix