Major Events and their effects on tourism and infrastructure Case Study: Bezirk Murtal DIPLOMARBEIT zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Magistra der Naturwissenschaften an der Karl-Franzens Universität Graz Vorgelegt von Julia Knauseder Institut für Geographie und Raumforschung Begutachterin: Annalisa Colombino, Ph.D. Graz, 29.Oktober 2019 Statutory Declaration I, Julia Maria Knauseder, hereby declare that this diploma thesis has been written independently and without assistance from third parties. Furthermore, I confirm that no sources have been used in the preparation of this thesis other than indicated in the thesis itself. Graz, October 29th, 2019 ………………………………………………… Julia Maria Knauseder i Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Colombino Annalisa, who supported me throughout the entire writing process and provided me with useful advice. Her expertise in the field of Human Geography proved to be of invaluable source for me. Moreover, she managed to help me make the best out of my research questions and prevented me from losing track of time. Thank you very much for your support. I could not have asked for a better supervisor. Furthermore, I am very grateful for everyone who filled out my questionnaire and provided me with valuable information for my research. I especially have to thank those that were willing to do an interview with me. I was truly overwhelmed by all the support and willingness to help and appreciate every single one of you. I would also like to thank my family, especially my parents Wolfgang and Justine and my sister Stefanie, but also my grandparents, who have supported me financially and emotionally throughout my studies. Thank you for always believing in me and helping me through my ups and downs. I don’t know what I would have done without you. I love you. Last but not least, I want to thank my second family, my wonderful and supportive friends. Thank you for providing me with unforgettable, incredible moments at university and thank you for always being there for me, in good as well as bad times. I cannot wait for the rest of our lives together. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Manuela, the best study partner I could have wished for. Without you, I would still be writing this thesis. I also owe special thanks to Birgit and Nicole who provided me with valuable input and feedback. ii Table of Contents List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ viii 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Major events as tourism boosters .................................................................................................. 3 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 2.2. Definition and typology of events ............................................................................................... 3 2.2.1. What are “events” .................................................................................................................. 3 2.2.2. Typology of Events .................................................................................................................. 6 2.2.3. Sporting events and tourism ................................................................................................. 11 2.3. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 13 3. Regional Economic Impact ............................................................................................................ 13 3.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 13 3.2. Economic impacts ..................................................................................................................... 15 3.3. Touristic impacts ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.4. Socio-cultural impact ................................................................................................................ 18 3.5. Environmental impact ............................................................................................................... 20 3.6. Structural/Physical impacts ...................................................................................................... 22 3.7. Political impacts ........................................................................................................................ 23 3.8. Other impacts ........................................................................................................................... 24 3.9. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 25 4. Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 26 4.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 26 4.2. Research Questions .................................................................................................................. 27 4.3. Questionnaires .......................................................................................................................... 29 4.3.1. Questionnaires for a group of residents ............................................................................... 29 4.4. Semi-Structured Interviews ...................................................................................................... 29 4.4.1. Interview with the CEO of regional development in the Bezirk Murtal and residents of the Bezirk Murtal ......................................................................................................................................... 30 4.4.2. Development of the Semi-Structured Interview Guide ........................................................ 31 4.4.3. General Framework and Practical Application of the Interviews ......................................... 32 4.5. Quantitative Research Data ...................................................................................................... 32 4.6. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 33 5. The Bezirk Murtal and Projekt Spielberg ...................................................................................... 33 iii 5.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 33 5.2. About Murtal ............................................................................................................................. 34 5.3. Tourism in Murtal ..................................................................................................................... 35 5.4. Portrayal of the Red Bull Ring ................................................................................................... 36 5.4.1. History ................................................................................................................................... 36 5.4.2. Projekt Spielberg GmbH & Co KG ......................................................................................... 41 5.4.3. Events at the Red Bull Ring ................................................................................................... 42 5.5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 43 6. How events have shaped tourism in the Bezirk Murtal ................................................................ 43 6.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 43 6.2. Development of Arrivals and Overnight stays from 2010-2018 ............................................... 44 6.3. Main markets of the Urlaubsregion Murtal .............................................................................. 50 6.3.1. Visitors from Abroad ............................................................................................................. 51 6.3.2. Visitors from Austria ............................................................................................................. 53 6.3.3. Comparison before and after the Re-opening of the Red Bull Ring and the introduction of motorsport events ................................................................................................................................ 54 6.4. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 57 7. Structural/physical