A pre-games evaluation of the image impact of the 2012 London Olympics

Along with the World Cup, the Olympics is widely considered to be the most lucrative and sought-after megaevent for governments worldwide, and have thus been described as the ‘the ultimate accolade that a city can earn on the world stage’ (Gold & Gold, 2007: p. 320). For the host, they represent an opportunity to achieve urban and environmental renewal, to boost local and national economies and attract investment, to increase tourism, to present or reinforce local culture and identity, and, to achieve international prominence and/or national prestige through place marketing or even sporting success. A major strategic component in achieving what can be considered a successful Olympics is the image of host-city, in which mega-events provide an ideal opportunity to present the character and culture of the host and work to enhance its domestic and global reputation. There are, however, relatively few studies that deal specifically with the effects of mega-events and the image impact of host countries and cities (Florek et al., 2008)