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Panel: "Game-Changers or Chaos-Makers? The True Impact of Large-Scale Events"

Sunday, November 9, 2025
2:55 PM - 3:40 PM
Coliseum of Porto

Overview

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Are large events truly beneficial for a destination? Do they promote sustainable growth, or do they leave behind financial burdens for local governments and taxpayers?
"Game-Changers or Chaos-Makers? The True Impact of Large-Scale Events"
invites a critical and balanced exploration of how large-scale events—such as global sporting competitions, world expos, music festivals, political summits, or tech conferences—reshape societies, economies, and environments.

 

Learning outcomes:

Critically assess the socio-economic and environmental impacts of large-scale events on host destinations, with attention to both short-term benefits and long-term consequences.

Evaluate the role of large events in sustainable development, identifying when they act as catalysts for positive change versus when they burden local communities and governments.

Develop informed, balanced arguments on whether large-scale events serve as effective tools for destination growth or contribute to financial and social disruption.

 

Panelists: 

  • SXSW - London - Randel Bryan, Managing Director
  • Websummit by Ms. Roberta Werner, Executive Director, Visit Rio - host of Web Summit Rio​
  • Amazon Web Services- Korea - Mr. Rich Jee, Head of Marketing, Korea ​
  • FIA- Anais Aite, Head of Strategic Expansion chez Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile ​
  • NATO meeting - The Hague, Michiel Middendorf, World Forum, The Hague
  • Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) - Janet Karemera, CEO 

Moderator: Miguel Neves

 

This session is sponsored by AIME.

 


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