Impacts and implications of an annual major sport event: A host community perspective

Abstract

Abstract This study explores the impacts of the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, China, as perceived by host community residents over the past 10 years, and how those perceptions affected their attitudes towards the future hosting of this event. An empirical study was carried out and data collected from 1047 Shanghai residents using structured questionnaires. Multiple factor analysis identified six factors underlying the perceived impacts of the event. It was found that after over a decade of continuous staging, the WGC-HSBC Champions did not affect the life of most local residents due to their low awareness of the event. Despite that, the study also found that residents’ positive perceptions led to their support for the future hosting of the event, which confirms the usefulness of social exchange theory in explaining residents’ perceptions. Finally, implications for destination managers are discussed to ensure the needs of both visitors and residents are addressed.