Olympic torch procession will showcase Cornwall as tourism and business destination. Tuesday 20th September 2011

Event Cornwall's Claire Eason-Bassett talks to the Western Morning News about the potential economic impact of next year's Olympic Torch relay following concerns about the cost.

Following the news about the proposed public spend on the Olympic Torch relay through Cornwall next year, I was surprised and disappointed to see Stephen Gilbert MP's outburst last month (August 25).

The Newquay and St Austell Lib Dem MP released figures stating that Cornwall Council plans to commit £75,000 from the Leader's Contingency Fund plus £50,000 from Cornwall Development Company to this event. In addition, £17,000 will be set aside to employ a co-ordinator for the event - a modest salary considering the prestige and workload of the project involved.

On May 19 2012, all eyes will be on our county as the iconic flame starts its journey from Land's End, with a number of Cornishmen carrying it to launch the Olympic festivities. Cornwall and the South West will be placed on the international stage, and while we won't be hosting as many Olympic events as we may have hoped for, this will be our chance to shine and celebrate.

Given the potential return on investment of several million pounds worth of global press coverage, this is a small investment for Cornwall Council to make.

Therefore, as a professional events manager, I completely support decisions to allocate significant funds to these events.

When the torch leaves Land's End, it signals the official kick off of the most celebrated sporting event on the planet.The Olympics is happening whether we like it or not, bringing with it global coverage. We should make every effort to be able to influence the success of this event.  This first day of the Torch Relay is a golden opportunity for our county to showcase ourselves in terms of our people, our place and our Cornish economy.

The Torch Relay comes at the end of Cornwall Business Week, so it is vital that Cornwall Council and Visit Cornwall collaborate with national and international journalists to demonstrate our business and tourism appeal generating yet further economic benefits.

Effective delivery of the torch procession will shift the view of the South West in terms of major events, and our capability and capacity to deliver projects on this scale. We cannot afford for it to be a disaster.

The reality of hosting an event such as this in the South West is that there is necessary infrastructure to make sure visitors, participants and residents are safe. Road closures, security, health and safety and logistical provision must all be considered, and this costs.

Having delivered a number of large scale events, including Truro's City of Lights procession, I am highly aware of the challenge that lies ahead for Cornwall Council and the project co-ordinator working with LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) to ensure that the Torch Relay is a success.

The logistics of organising the Olympic Torch procession are not dissimilar to City of Lights or similar events but this time on a county-wide scale - this requires serious man power, strategy, resources and partnership with agencies such as Devon and Cornwall Police, Highways and other areas of the Council. It is important that we don't under-estimate the preparation and planning needs for making this event a success.

The wider opportunities I see are that we can showcase our region as a tourism and business destination, but also tell the world what Cornwall is really about. To do this, we need to manage the process rather than just let it happen without our involvement.

On May 19 2012, national and international journalists will be looking to the Westcountry - BBC Breakfast news was excited enough to stage an outside broadcast to mark the one year countdown. It is short-sighted to imagine that this one day will be ignored so we must take action to ensure that it is noticed for all the right reasons.This is our chance to celebrate business innovation, community heroes, stunning landscapes and world-class sportspeople.

Critics may claim there is a lot of fuss for just one day, but the hangover if we get it wrong will go on for significantly longer. 

The benefits of getting this event right offer our county far more than we could afford to purchase directly.  The investment from Cornwall Council is a very small price to pay to gain this kind of profile on a global scale. 

How often do we have such an opportunity? Whether you agree with us hosting the Olympics or not, this is now the time to get behind the Olympic campaign, support our athletes and our communities, and get the absolute maximum benefit from the greatest show on earth!