A global event is a significant occurrence with widespread impacts and implications that transcend national borders. These events often shape international relations, economic systems and cultural exchanges. They can be triggered by wars, natural disasters, pandemics and major shifts in the world’s political landscape.
The global events sector drives $2.5 trillion in worldwide tourism each year and has far-reaching economic ramifications. It is therefore important to understand the impact of these events on local, regional and international markets – including how business can better respond to them.
One of the key objectives of the Global Events Toolkit is to identify and implement best practices that will enable events to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It is a practical tool that aims to support the organisers of major events, local communities and governments in developing a long-term strategy for sustainable event development.
Geographers have a unique perspective on the causes of global events and their impacts, providing insights into how they can be directed to create international improvements. This article seeks to determine whether globalisation and global events affect ‘all places’ by utilising the examples of pandemics (including the Plague, influenza and COVID-19), climate change and natural disasters.
For example, the influenza pandemic inspired the development of public healthcare organisations that continue to provide free-at-the-point-of-delivery healthcare today. However, the differing severities of climate change across the globe reveal that the idea that globalisation and global events impact all places is flawed.