City events: short and serial reproduction effects on the city's image?

Purpose - This paper aims to answer the following questions: to what extent do city events typify cities and do they yield long-term effects? Design/methodology/approach - The paper comprises a literature overview of evidence-based research regarding the impact of city events on tourists' perceptions of their host cities. In total, eight case studies are further analyzed. Findings - Several events typify cities, contradicting the often proclaimed assumption that they are only serial reproductions which do not really make differences between cities. City events may increase one's knowledge about the specific city and stimulate positive feelings about the city. However, this is only true if certain conditions are fulfilled, such as connecting the event to the typical physical and other aspects of the city. Changes in tourists' perceptions decrease in the long run if the perceptions are only related to specific events. Long-term effects are possible if the city events are embedded in broader marketing strategies supported by other stakeholders, such as residents. In practice however, this is rarely the case. Research limitations/implications - Results are based on a limited number of available empirical studies and focused on two key variables (differentiation and the duration of effects). Neither other variables, nor stakeholders other than tourists are taken into account. Perceptions of tourists are operationalized in different ways. Originality/value - The paper brings together insights from previous empirical studies, in order to clarify the added value of events for city promotion. It contradicts the assumption of the homogenizing effect of such events and points out some key conditions for their success.