Residents' Perceptions of the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010: A Cluster Analysis

Abstract

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010 was one of the major sporting events held in Singapore. It brought together 3,600 young athletes from 295 countries to compete in 26 sport events. Conducted during the Games, this study sought to evaluate the impact of the Games on local residents by using a total of 34 impact statement items. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to categorize the impact statements under a smaller number of meaningful factors. Specifically, the impact statement items related to the positive impact were categorized under the following three factors: Long-Term Social Benefits to Singapore, Tourism Benefits, and Economic Benefits. The impact statements pertaining to the negative impact were placed under the following three factors: Quality of Life, Social Behavior, and Preparation for the Games. A cluster analysis was also performed: there were three clusters of residents—Enthusiasts, Enthusiasts With Reservations, and Skeptics. In general, residents were supportive of the Games and perceived the Games to have a positive impact on the country. But there are negative perceptions of the Games too, such as its negative impact on the environment, the inconveniences created, and the disruptiveness to their lives.

Segmenting the Older Resident’s Perception of a Major Cycling Event

“…Some studies have highlighted that the participation of residents is associated with a greater tendency to support [81,82]. Other studies have found that the largest group of residents was negatives or haters [38,41] or the group of moderates [40]. In short, the results of this study may be attributed to the fact that in "La Vuelta", a great atmosphere is created at the start and finish of the stage and the people can visit the many stands of the sponsoring and collaborating brands that give away their products.…”

“…Among the literature regarding the evaluation of impacts on sports events from the point of view of the resident's perception of the host communities, it is found that very diverse opinions appear, depending on the person. In order to identify the different groups that exist in opinions regarding the organization of a sports event, the literature includes different studies that address the identification of these groups in which there is a diversity of opinions, usually classified as positive opinion groups or lovers of the event, neutral or moderates, and critical or haters [28,35,36,[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46].…”

“…In the different studies that have conducted cluster analysis, most have identified between two and five groups of individuals with common characteristics, although some studies find great support from all residents, with no groups with a negative attitude toward the sporting event [47]. Most studies have identified three groups of residents in sports events such as the Youth Olympic Games, America's Cup, Grand Prix, Ironman or cycling events [28,36,38,40,[48][49][50], followed by studies that have identified two groups in events such as the Olympic Games, motor racing Grand Prix or cycling events [16,28,35,43,46].…”

Examining sport tourism role in fostering social sustainability: Qatar youth perceptions

“…Hosting sport events not only serves as a platform to showcase the culture of a country but also contributes to fostering a sense of community, establishing positive connections with community pride and national identity, and increasing interaction between visitors and residents (8,11,23). However, hosting communities may be adversely affected by events due to issues such as increased crime, cultural conflicts, congestion, pollution, and increased cost of living (41,42). Therefore, assessing citizens' perceptions of sports events can help formulate social cohesion and community development policies.…”