Perceptions of the Socioeconomic Impacts of A Women's Major Sporting Event in Africa

Abstract

Major sports events have emerged as an important destination development tool for many developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to assess the socioeconomic impacts of the 2016 Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) hosted in Cameroon. Taking the hosting cities (Limbe and Yaounde) as the case study sites, the study utilized a mixed-methods research approach. The data emerged from the 759 questionnaires distributed to the event attendees and 10 interviews with key informants. The study showed the event to have created employment and income generation opportunities in the host cities and have contributed to increased national pride and social cohesion. Also, the study found the event to have played an important role in the advancement of women in sport. However, the research revealed little leveraging of the event’s socioeconomic opportunities for longer gain. The study concludes that female sports events, for destination development and the advancement of women’s sport, is an important but neglected area of focus. The study argues for stronger collaborations and partnerships within tourism and sport stakeholders to ensure the positive advancements of female sports events are sustained.

Destination branding though major sporting events: The case of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon

“…In 2016, Cameroon hosted the 12th edition of the Women's AFCON. These types of major sports events not only promise media attention for the Cameroon nation brand, but also create opportunities for inbound tourism and other sport business related benefits Achu et al, 2022). Clarke (2022) reports that economically, businesses in Cameroon all have their eyes on a revival and boost in revenue through the 2022 AFCON tournament.…”

Sport event leveraging aimed at destination brand benefits: The case Cameroon

“…In the context of this study, football (soccer) is one of the fastest-growing and most popular sport in Cameroon (Tichaawa et al, 2018;Nyikana and Tichaawa, 2023) and has commonly been linked to an important part of socio-economic benefits, including nation-building for the country as many studies have shown Nyikana & Tichaawa, 2018a, b, c;Nyikana and Tichaawa, 2020;Daniels and Tichaawa, 2021;Achu et al, 2022;Tichaawa, 2022, Acha-Anyi, 2023a, b). The recent 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament was hosted by Cameroon and this event has proven the nation's capabilities to successfully host major sporting spectacles.…”