Host Residents’ Support and Perceptions Toward Major Sport Events’ Impacts on Sustainable Development Post-COVID19: Case Study of SEAGAMES 31

Abstract

The COVID19 pandemic has damaged the global well-being, resulted in increasing poverty and unemployment due to lockdowns and other mobility restrictions and is considered as the deepest global recession since the Second World War (World Bank, 2020). Due to the uncertain circumstance, many sport events around the world were cancelled or postponed, including those in the ASEAN region and Vietnam. The Vietnamese government wishes to organize the SEAGAMES31 as a "kick-start" for the "new-normal" life, and introduce the country as a safe, friendly, and attractive destination. However, its success depends on the residents' support, assessing the influence of their fear and health concerns. The aim of this study is to understand the residents' willingness to host and support a sport event and give some insights to the government and other stakeholders to manage sport events and balance the economic benefits with the residents' well-being. Using the Social Exchange Theory and conceptual models of previous studies, a survey was conducted during SEAGAMES31 on 931 residents from some host places in Vietnam. The findings reveal that residents' habit of travelling, and sport would influence the perception towards the SEAGAMES' impacts on their life. Considering the post-COVID19 situation of uncertainty, it is necessary to be aware of these understandings to develop relevant policies and strategies to involve the host residents in the development and management of major sport events.