International Highland Games as Sport Tourism Events
Aaron R. Zipp Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences European Sport Tourism Academic Conference Limerick, Ireland 15 May, 2015
International Highland Games as Sport Tourism Events • Introduction, Origins and History of the Highland Games • Purpose of Study • Highland Games as Tourism • Methods • Results • Discussion
A Brief History; defining relevance… • King Malcolm III of Scotland, 11th Century • Laws following 1745 Rebellion • Military Training “The reclaiming of a heritage denied is perhaps more impassioned than the reclaiming of one purposely shed or just forgotten” (Celeste Ray, 2001)
The Festivals Bagpipes, drums, harps Dancing Food and drink Vendors (traditional clothing, facepaint, jewelry, books, etc.) Clans (historians) Visitor games and kids attractions (bounce houses) Sheepherding exhibition Footraces Live Bands (nightlife) Heavy Athletics Events*
Scotland, CT (of course)
Scottish Heavy Athletics 9 Primary Events Amateur to Professional Athletes
Purpose of Study To examine the economic impact of Scottish Highland Games events in North America and Europe • At the exploratory stage, we have gathered data on the attendance of major festival events in the U.S. and Canada. • Later stages further examine economic impact for host sites and athlete tourism
Research on Highland Games is very limited (Brewster, Connell and Page, 2009).
Highland Games as Tourism In their 2006 study, Brewster, Connell, and Page (2009) identified rough estimates of attendance from 13 festivals in Scotland totaling 159,705. Methods included surveying organizers for attendance records. Host communities benefit from • Enhanced local image • Economic stimulus • Increased tourism (spectators, competitors, vendors, entertainers, volunteers, and officials) • Community development These may be of significant benefit to rural areas
Highland Games as Tourism Heritage Tourism “…advertising, sponsorship and the expansion of a comprehensive consumer culture which exploits many of the kitsch symbols of cultural identity; the relative acceptance of uniform rules, regulations and records under the control of such bureaucracies as the Scottish Games Association; …the level of organizational control have led to a degree of democratization; and the continuing influence and dependency upon a romantic cultural identity, including images of Balmorality. All these facets contribute to a dominant interpretation of the modern Highland Games which itself has been mediated by a number of broader problems of modernity,” (Jarvie, 1991).
Highland Games as Tourism • Fits within UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme vision statement: ‘World Heritage and tourism stakeholders share responsibility for conservation of our common cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value and for sustainable development through appropriate tourism management’ (UNESCO, 2013; n.p.). • Commercialisation of games poses threat to the remaining authenticity of games (Saleh and Ryan, 1993) • “Commodification of tradition” (Lothian, 2001).
Methods • Emailed 42 festival organizers selected from a list on Scotland.org http://www.scotland.org/whats-on/scotlands-festivals/highland-games/usa-canada-highlandgames/ • 19 responses, 4 addresses permanently failed, will re-try with remaining 19. Technically 50% • All organizers of 14 North American Scottish Festival events and 4 events in Scotland offered estimated attendance results of their 2014 games. One will reconnect after games are complete (occurring now) • 13 North American Festival organizers offered athlete data or had Athletic Director do so by email.
• Additional 2014 spectator population data was retrieved through direct contact with event organizers in Scotland in an effort to update and standardize Scottish event findings (4 in total).
2014 Festivals in North America *Figures largely based on estimates • Maine Highland Games http://www.mainehighlandgames.org/
Attendance 4,700
Athletes M, F 50M, 7F
• Victoria Games, British Columbia http://victoriahighlandgames.com/
19,000
50M, 20F
• Aztec Highland Games, New Mexico http://www.aztechighlandgames.com/
1,000
70M, 25F
• Antigonish Highland Games, Nova Scotia http://www.antigonishhighlandgames.ca/
20,000
12M, 0F
• Pleasanton Scottish Highland Games, California http://www.thescottishgames.com/ 50,000
55M, 75F
• Long Island Scottish Festival http://www.liscots.org/festival_and_games.htm
7,000
25M, 3F
• Tennessee Smoky Mountain HG http://smokymountaingames.org/
12,000
• Columbus Scottish Festival, Ohio http://www.scottishfestival.org/
4,500
exhibition only 30M, 6F
• The Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival, Pennsylvania http://www.celticfest.org/ 300,000
10M Pro
• Seatle Scottish Highland, Washington https://www.facebook.com/events/51288157206582735,000
35M, 18F
• Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, North Carolina http://www.gmhg.org/
30,000
• Longs Peak Scotts-Irish Highland, CO http://scotfest.com/Scottish_Festival/Home.html80,000 • Dandridge Highland Festival http://www.scots-irish.org/ • Southern Maryland Highland Games http://www.cssm.org/
6,000
no data 72M, 36F exhibition only
“several thousand” 51M, 15F
2014 Festivals In Scotland
*Figures largely based on estimates • • • •
Attendance Athletes M, F
Inverness Highland Games, Scotland http://invernesshighlandgames.com/ 3,500 12M, 0F Masters World Championships, Inverness Scotland http://www.scottishmasters.org/ 2,000 146M, 45F Nairn Highland Games, Scotland http://www.nairnhighlandgames.co.uk/ 7,500 no data Perth Highland Games, Scotland http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/10638/Perth-Highland-Games 4,000 10M, 0F
Total: 17,000
168M, 45F
Results and Opportunity 13 North American Festivals in 2014‌ Total Combined Spectator Estimate: 569,000 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games North Carolina, USA
Discussion Limitations – Disaggregated Data Record keeping is very spotty Some events are free, others have entrance fee Some events are athlete-centred, other events are large festivals with athletes as sideshow
“There is a vast difference in attendance figures at Games across Scotland, most of which are estimated as confirmed by DTZ (2007). A number of Games indicated this information was confidential and withheld admission figures, others did not keep a record and were unable to provide even estimated figures and some had free admission and no recording mechanism in place to accurately record numbers (Brewster, Connell, and Page 2009).� Very simple management issues such as better recording of visitor information and entry fees would allow both individual Games venues and the Games organization (SGA) to provide strategic advice and guidance on developing these historically derived events which celebrate Scottishness and its distinctive culture
Discussion • Very simple management issues such as better recording of visitor information and entry fees would allow both individual Games venues and the Games organization (SGA) to provide strategic advice and guidance on developing these historically derived events which celebrate Scottishness and its distinctive culture • The report also suggests that a lack of business knowledge, committed volunteers, missed opportunities and lack of financial support are a threat to the sustainability of Highland Games.
Works Cited Ray, C (2001). Introduction. Highland Heritage; Scottish Americans in the American South (p.8,12). Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press. Donaldson, E. (1986). The Games in Scotland. In The Scottish Highland Games in America (p.10,11,15). Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. Brewster, M., Connell, J., & Page, S. (2009). The Scottish Highland Games: Evolution, development and role as a community event. Current Issues in Tourism, (12:3), 271-293. doi:10.1080/13683500802389730
Jarvie, G. (1991). Highland Games: The making of the myth. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Highland Games in USA and Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2015, from http://www.scotland.org/whatson/scotlands-festivals/highland-games/usa-canada-highland-games/ English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2015, from http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english Scottish Highland Games Association. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2015, from http://www.shga.co.uk/events.php
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