The Nation-Branding Legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for South Africa

Abstract

There has been a growing awareness of the potentially significant impact that hosting sport mega-events, such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, can have on a nation's brand. Within the broader context of nation branding, this article explores the specific tourism legacy that may be achieved from sport mega-events and details an exploratory investigation that aimed to identify brand perceptions and changes in perceptions of international visitors to South Africa during the mega-event. The tourism legacy of the event appears to be the degree to which brand perceptions of travelers changed and formed as a result of visiting the nation. The value of these changed perceptions manifests in important behavioral intentions, such as repeat visitation and positive word-of-mouth promotion. The study concludes that mega-events provide an opportunity to elicit tourism legacies for a nation, especially in terms of nation-brand development for the host.