An article by Joel Connelly in the Seattle Post Intelligencer indicates that because of a lack of governmental marketing, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver is unlikely to add the 12,000 jobs that Premier Gordon Campbell once predicted. A new independent study by Price Waterhouse Coopers accounting firm, commissioned by the province and federal government, reveals that no more 100 jobs, and as few as 25, have been created.
That may be somewhat unsurprising news coming during an economic downturn which has shed jobs from forestry and construction in the province. But it certainly sheds light on the perception that the Olympics have been the impetus for the boom in B.C., something that should be put to bed by this study:
The study looked at tourism from 2003 to 2008. It does not present a flattering picture of benefits trickling down from the upcoming Games.
“The 2010 Winter Games have not had a measurable impact on tourism’s gross domestic product and share of the economy,” it found. On the whole, “tourism impacts did not materialize,” it added, itemizing the lack of forecast results.
Visits to “Beautiful British Columbia” from within Canada have increased but “the 2010 Winter Games cannot be held responsible,” the study concluded.
It’s important to note that the study doesn’t measure the impact, obviously, that is yet to be felt when the visitors do begin arriving in late January and early February. But what it does measure is the truthfulness to the myth that the Olympic Games function as a means of promoting a locale for tourism; in this case, that myth has been debunked by information that the total number of international inbound travellers to Canada declined 22 percent in the years since the Olympics were announced to be held in Vancouver.
The biggest problem, it would appear, is the lack of coordination in tourism marketing from the province, as well as the fact that the IOC has blocked attempts to promote Vancouver’s Olympic Games during the build-up to the 2008 Beijing Games, as noted by Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer.
So now that we know the pre-Olympic boom expectations have been a bust, we await to see what the post-Olympic expectations will deliver. Here’s hoping it creates more than 25 jobs.
November 12, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Actually, many businesses have to close as they will not be accessible. Touri will not be able to move much either. I will have trouble getting my reno credits, as I live on the street in front of the Village, which will be closed.
BC citizens zero INOC Couture WIN for the elite
November 12, 2009 at 11:47 pm
So what, did 25 people build the venues, the extra housing, and the new super highway to Whistler? I agree that more marketing is necessary, and I am no fan of Gordon Campbell, but it is way too early to call this a failure. Any economist predicting future employment is making a forecast with a very high error rate. Employment data is something you have to look at in hindsight. Getting a measurement for this exact moment in time is tricky at best, and in the future employment lags behind other variables and factors. Last week economists were trying to predict the employment data from the last month, and even then more than half weren’t even close.
Next, you can’t say that jobs have not been created because tourism is low, well tourism is low across the country across the board. Jobs have been lost in virtually all sectors except maybe security. Therefore you are trying to project gains amid measured losses, and really that data that was cited as the primary source might be correct, but it is just as likely to be flawed.
There was nothing wrong with how you handled and it was a well written piece. I enjoy reading your blogs, but you could discuss good news a little more often? Doesn’t anybody want to read good news anymore?
November 13, 2009 at 2:06 am
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November 13, 2009 at 2:57 am
I guess what I am trying to say is that it is remarkably difficult to pinpoint gains and losses of employment for different sectors for different reasons in a downturn global economy. There are a thousand reasons for everything that happens. If you want to send me the raw data to punch into a spreadsheet and analyze, my bet is that I could cut it to pieces. These guys are paid to say something. My Mathematical Economics Degree is freelance baby!
November 13, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Reading good news doesn’t inspire me to write. Perhaps it’s a warped form of inspiration.
November 26, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I heard from a lot of Vancouver inhabitants that the flip side of having these gains is really big. The better the image for the town of Vancouver, the worse the effects for the people there.