Citizen participation; a lever for the success of major events

Abstract: Hosting major sporting, business or cultural events is an incredible opportunity to reveal and promote the strengths of the host territory. The organization of a major event generally generates socio-economic benefits and ensures territorial attractiveness in the short, medium and long term. In addition, beyond the fact that the event would constitute an accelerator of development, it also becomes an identity marker that will be an integral part of the identity and image of a territory in the future. Except that this event is mainly for the inhabitant, for the citizen, who is mainly concerned with territorial development.In this same vein, it is important to remember that the literature and practice in several territories has shown that the resident can play at least four roles in relation to his territory: he is from the outset a direct target, it can be an argument for promoting the territory, a partner in the construction of the attractiveness process and finally an ambassador and a passionate lawyer who can easily influence the decision of other targets.Finally, it should be noted that our analysis would only be relevant if the territories undertake an endogenous approach in the sense that they will involve citizens, deepen the relationship with them and encourage them to contribute to the development of their own hospitality and involve them in the approach of territorial marketing alternating the endogenous approach to the exogenous of territorial attractiveness. This would allow the territories to keep on site the resources already acquired by the territory (territorial hospitality) and then develop strategies around its ability to shine and attract the desired targets on the spot (attractiveness). The topic = falls at the right time with the announcement of the organization of the 2030 World Cup between Morocco, Spain and Portugal, a staggering opportunity to have a real case of discussion.The purpose of this research is to open the debate around the impact of the organization of this great event on the country-territory globally and on the host territory especially.The reflexivity around this article is to know how the Moroccan population perceives the organization of such an event? What opportunities do they see there that are so widely read that the Moroccan population strongly adheres to the quote of Mandela and Gandhi who says «everything that is done for me without me is done against me»? and how would they contribute to it? This leads us to ask ourselves several questions: Is the Moroccan involved? if so, what citizen participation tools are available to territorial decision-makers to involve the citizen? We chose a multi-target device incorporating the three targets of territorial marketing (inhabitants and territorial decision makers) and a methodological mix combining two approaches conducted simultaneously; a qualitative approach for an in-depth investigation, and a quantitative approach for a measured diagnosis. The purpose of this research would be to provide territorial decision-makers with tools that can enable them to better involve the citizen to ensure the key function of the organization of a major event; that it is above all a development accelerator.

Keywords: major events, territorial attractiveness, territorial marketing, citizen participation, territorial image

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005770

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