Skip to content
Toggle menu
SportsTravel SportsTravel

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events

Primary Menu
  • News
    • Hosts & Suppliers
    • Recently Awarded
    • Sports Organizations
    • Sports Venues
    • Sponsors & Media
  • IN DEPTH
    • Editor’s Picks
    • On Assignment
    • Perspectives
    • Technology in Sports
  • Podcasts
  • Sports
    • CATEGORY
      • Amateur Sports
      • Youth Sports
      • Collegiate Sports
      • Professional Sports
      • Olympic Sports
      • Paralympic Sports
      • National Governing Body
      • Adaptive Sports
      • Sustainability
      • Water Sports
      • Winter Sports
      • Women’s Sports
    • INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
      • Baseball
      • Basketball
      • Bowling
      • Cycling
      • Football
      • Golf
      • Gymnastics
      • Hockey
      • Lacrosse
      • Motorsports
      • Pickleball
      • Rugby
      • Running
      • Soccer
      • Softball
      • Swimming
      • Tennis
      • Track & Field
      • Triathlon
      • Volleyball
      • Wrestling
  • Esports
    • Esports News
    • Esports Guide
    • EsportsTravel Summit
  • Resources
    • Bid Bowl
    • Submission Form
      • About Bid Bowl
    • Destination Spotlight
    • Destination Guides
    • Downloadable Guides
    • Venue Guides
    • Media Kit
      • Media Kit
      • 2023 Editorial Calendar
    • Digital Edition
  • Subscribe
    • Subscribe to E-Newsletter
  • EVENTS
    • TEAMS CONFERENCE & EXPO
    • TEAMS Europe
    • EsportsTravel Summit
    • SportsTravel Road Trip
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram


Home > Olympic Sports > Closing Thoughts on the 2018 Olympic Winter Games

Closing Thoughts on the 2018 Olympic Winter Games

Posted On : February 26, 2018 By : Jason Gewirtz

The Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games have come to a close, an event that organizers can objectively determine a success on many levels. Like all Olympic Games, the 2018 edition did not come without its controversies or concerns moving forward. But to a large extent, the Games were well organized and the execution was on par or exceeded those of other recent events.

Here are some numbers from the 2018 Games to consider:

  • There were 2,920 athletes from 92 nations, the largest numbers in both categories for a Winter Games. (By comparison, the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, featured 2,566 athletes from 82 countries.) Those sending athletes for the first time were Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo, Malaysia, Nigeria and Singapore. And despite finishing fourth in the overall medal total, the United States had the largest contingent this year, with 242 athletes.
  • The percentage of female athletes was 41.5 percent, a record.
  • Nearly 80 broadcast companies from around the world sent a combined staff of 11,462 to cover the Games, and an additional 2,654 journalists were credentialed from 51 countries.
  • A total of 1,387,475 spectators attended events at the Winter Games, with the Olympic Plaza in Pyeongchang reporting an additional 240,000 visitors and the Olympic Park in Gangneung reporting an additional 200,000 visitors.

Based on SportsTravel’s personal look from the ground in Pyeongchang, here is our own take on a few key areas of the Games.

Overall Organization

Organizers in Pyeongchang tried three times to land their bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, succeeding for the 2018 event. From the beginning, they were hoping to capitalize on Korea’s technological innovations in creating a Games atmosphere that was cutting edge. And their plans also included the hopes that the area will become a winter sports haven for Asian tourists and beyond. Time will tell on their legacy projects, but with the Games being run smoothly and without major incident, they deserve credit for their efforts. And if nothing else, the two-week détente with North Korea that allowed the countries to march together and field a joint women’s hockey team may be the most lasting legacy of all. Final Grade: A

North Korea and South Korea marching together in the Opening Ceremony may be one of the most lasting legacies of all.

Security

Despite being staged in one of the most politically volatile areas of the world leading up to the Games, there were no significant breaches in personal security at the Games (although organizers did report alleged hacking during the Opening Ceremony that temporarily impacted the Games’ website and Wi-Fi capability on site). Past Olympic Games, including those in London, Sochi and Rio de Janeiro were marked by massive military presence in and around the venues. In Pyeongchang, there was virtually no military to be seen, although police forces did occasionally march through venues to give the added presence of security. Security check points for spectators and visitors to venues were run smoothly and were fairly consistent from venue to venue as far as items that were asked to be searched. Final Grade: A

Unlike several previous Olympic Games, security personnel included more police than military guarding the sites.

Transportation

There were nearly 5,000 shuttle buses and fleet vehicles deployed during the Olympic Games to accommodate spectators, athletes, media, volunteers and workers. While the system was not without some flaws, organizers moved quickly during the first week to adjust schedules or the volume of vehicles to cut off any bottlenecks both in transportation routes and in wait times. Shuttle buses largely stayed to their printed schedules and in that case were reliable sources of transportation, in a way that have not been at other Olympic Games. Dedicated Olympic lanes worked as planned. Final Grade: A-

Transportation was effective and reliable.

Attendance

In its final report, the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee claimed it had sold 1,078,562 tickets to events, or 100.9 percent of its target. International sales reportedly were 80 percent of that figure. Those numbers are nearly impossible to verify but an eyeball test would reveal that many events were well short of a full house. In the first week of the Games, many events were indeed full, including figure skating and short-track speedskating. But Alpine events like the slalom competition were largely empty, perhaps a function of the delays in the schedule from wind that pushed morning start times to different weekdays. Organizers at every Games claim that there are additional unclaimed seats from corporate sponsors and others designed for athletes. But ticket sales were lagging pretty consistently for the 2018 Games and attendance overall was a mixed bag in Pyeongchang, despite the lofty numbers released from the organizing committee. Final Grade: B-

Attendance was strong for some events, not as strong for others.

Atmosphere

With events largely centered around two areas (the mountains of Pyeongchang and the coastal city of Gangneung), spectators had the opportunity to be near several events at once. At least that was the theory. The mountain events were spread out enough that each required separate transportation. And the Olympic Plaza, where the ceremony stadium sat and where medals were doled out to most athletes, was remote compared to the other mountain venues. With temperatures at night being near or below zero at least in the first half of the Games, that left for a slightly cold atmosphere at those venues in more ways than one. The Olympic Park in Gangneung had a decent number of hospitality houses and sponsor activations to visit, but the area was so spread out that at times it looked emptier than you would expect for an Olympic Games. Nonetheless, the interactive components for fans in the venues and for spectators in the parks were enough (and the mascot, Soohorang the Tiger was everywhere, making it easy for anyone to grab a photo) that those who showed up were able to have a genuine Olympics experience. Organizers can’t be faulted for the wind that closed down the park on one night of the Games, nor the frigid conditions, but there were times where the event didn’t feel as full as it could have been. Final Grade: B

The presence of Soohorang, the Olympics mascot, helped create a nice atmosphere at some venues.

Legacy

All but three of the venues used in Pyeongchang have legacy plans in place and are expected to be renovated for new use or used for international competition. The remaining ones are the Jeongseon Alpine Center (site of the downhill races), Gangneung Oval (long-track speedskating) and the Gangneung Hockey Centre (used for some of the ice hockey competition). The fate of those venues is a genuine concern. The Olympic Stadium, site of the Opening and Closing Ceremony, was a temporary structure that will have its seating removed and will be modified as a memorial of some kind to the event. And the apartments used for the Athlete and Media Villages have all been sold to the public (and should be in decent shape since most of their components like kitchen appliances and built-in drawers were taped off to prevent them being used during the visiting stays). The high-speed KTX train connecting Seoul to Pyeongchang and Gangneung is a genuine legacy, reducing the travel time from coast to coast by up to two hours. Organizers also made a valiant effort to promote tourism by offering spectators and visiting media and dignitaries several itineraries to explore the many cultural gems of the area. The lasting question will be what impact those efforts may have on visitation in the future. Final Grade: B

The Gangneung Oval is one of three venues whose fate is uncertain.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Email
Posted in: Olympic Sports, Sports Venues

Post navigation

Josh Howell Named Sports Sales Manager at Visit Wichita
Construction Underway on the Las Vegas Ballpark

Follow us on Twitter

SportsTravel Follow

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events. Producers of the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

SportsTravel
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
3 Feb

The @usta has announced that Coco Gauff and the United States @BJKCup Team will play at the Delray Beach Tennis Center April 14–15 in a 2023 match against Austria. @pbsportsfl
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/billie-jean-king-cup-tie-heading-to-palm-beaches/

Reply on Twitter 1621651227879825408 Retweet on Twitter 1621651227879825408 Like on Twitter 1621651227879825408 1 Twitter 1621651227879825408
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
3 Feb

The @PGA has announced that Dancing Rabbit Golf Club at @PRRofficial in Philadelphia, Mississippi, will host the 2023 PGA University Championship, set for November 13–15.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/2023-pga-university-championship-headed-to-mississippi/

Reply on Twitter 1621627267234529280 Retweet on Twitter 1621627267234529280 Like on Twitter 1621627267234529280 2 Twitter 1621627267234529280
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
3 Feb

.@GSOB_Sports is exploring the possibility of a $6 million, 38,000-square-foot building at the city’s Sportsplex for sports and community events. The venue would accommodate several courts for volleyball, basketball or pickleball.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/gulf-shores-explores-new-6-million-building/

Reply on Twitter 1621606559905353728 Retweet on Twitter 1621606559905353728 Like on Twitter 1621606559905353728 Twitter 1621606559905353728
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
3 Feb

The Danish capital of Copenhagen will host the 2024 @FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Qualifier and @FIBA3x3 Europe Cup in 2025, complete with an urban festival with street activities.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/copenhagen-to-host-two-fiba-europe-cup-events/

Reply on Twitter 1621595821182705667 Retweet on Twitter 1621595821182705667 Like on Twitter 1621595821182705667 Twitter 1621595821182705667
Load More

sportstravel

There's so much to discover at the new Virginia Be There's so much to discover at the new Virginia Beach Sports Center! 285,000 square feet of convertible space can accommodate 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, nine field hockey courts, and a 200-meter hydraulically banked track—and it can hold up to 5,000 spectators to watch the action.
SportsTravel is on location in Philadelphia for th SportsTravel is on location in Philadelphia for the @unitedsoccercoaches Convention that starts tomorrow and lasts throughout the week. We’re looking forward to the next few days of connecting with friends old and new on location.
CES 2023 is going strong in Las Vegas. CES 2023 is going strong in Las Vegas.
Virginia Beach may be famous for its gorgeous outd Virginia Beach may be famous for its gorgeous outdoor spaces, but the city’s newest sports facility makes it a pleasure to be indoors. The @vbsportscenter is your premier sports facility in Virginia Beach, offering high-quality basketball, volleyball, field hockey, track & field facilities, and plenty of room for your team to shine. Find out more at https://vbsportscenter.com
Michigan won’t go away. What an instant classic. Michigan won’t go away. What an instant classic.
The TCU faithful have had a lot to cheer about in The TCU faithful have had a lot to cheer about in the first half.
The College Football Playoff kicks off with the fi The College Football Playoff kicks off with the first semifinal between TCU and Michigan at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
Some sights and sounds from the Rivalry Series gam Some sights and sounds from the Rivalry Series game between Team USA and Team Canada on December 15.
Hilary Knight tied the game for Team USA in the th Hilary Knight tied the game for Team USA in the third period of a Rivalry Series game with Team Canada on December 15.
Michelle Lupo, the business development manager fo Michelle Lupo, the business development manager for the @northstarmeets Sports Division, moderated a session today at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism, featuring Kara Bachman from the Chicago Sports Commission, Curtis Francois from World Wide Technology Raceway and John Groh from the Rockford Area CVB. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about sports-related travel!

@chisportscomm @wwtraceway @gorockford #travel #tourism #sportstravel #sportsbiz #sportsbusiness
The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok kicks off wi The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok kicks off with a 2 a.m. start Sunday to give runners the best conditions possible across the city. The Expo is taking place at Royal Paragon Hall, where runners can pick up their bibs and prepare for the race.

#marathon #running #sportsevents #sportstourism #sportstravel @tourismthailand
Thank you to @worldathletics and Mass Participatio Thank you to @worldathletics and Mass Participation World for the chance for SportsTravel Executive Editor and Publisher Jason Gewirtz to present the latest data on sports-related travel to delegates at the World Athletics Global Running Conference in Bangkok. Friday’s schedule also included remarks from the prime minister of Thailand and the country’s sports and tourism minister, who emphasized the importance of sports events to the nation’s economy and quality of life.

#athletics #thailand #bangkok #running #sportstravel #sportstourim @tourismthailand
Love high speed sports? We are at the @ibsfsliding Love high speed sports? We are at the @ibsfsliding World Cup event in Park City at @utaholympicpark this weekend. Friday morning’s action was the women’s monobob event, won by American Kaillie Humphries. Scroll through to see the #bobsled in action at full speed, then slow motion, and hear from Humphries after her win.
SportsTravel is in Bangkok, Thailand, this week mo SportsTravel is in Bangkok, Thailand, this week moderating sessions and presenting on sports-related travel at the @worldathletics Global Running Conference, including an opening day session on government relations in sports events featuring @sport_singapore, Portas Consulting, @laliga and @houstonsports_janis from the @hc_hsa who appeared virtually from Doha where she is attending the World Cup.
#sportstourism #sportstravel #mpw22 #wagrc
Winner buys dinner! When you bring your sports eve Winner buys dinner! When you bring your sports event to World Equestrian Center – Ocala, you can refuel with something heavenly from seven different on-site restaurants. From pub burgers and #taco salads to fine dining, WEC has a #winning option for everyone.
Twickenham Stadium in London is the largest rugby Twickenham Stadium in London is the largest rugby union stadium in the world, seating 82,000. The home of England Rugby, it is owned and operated by the Rugby Football Union and hosts events year round. 

#rugby #rugbyunion #twickenham @twickenhamstadium
Black in a sea of orange: the courage of the oppos Black in a sea of orange: the courage of the opposing fans.

@raiders @broncos @nfl #fans #raiderfans #broncofans @empowerfieldatmilehigh
One of the NFL’s best traditions is the @broncos One of the NFL’s best traditions is the @broncosthunderstorm skydivers who jump into Empower Field at Mile High before every @broncos game.
Beer and alcohol sales may be banned at the World Beer and alcohol sales may be banned at the World Cup, but in the @nfl, there are more than enough in-stadium options, including the many available at Empower Field at Mile High, home of the @broncos. 

#worldcup #2022worldcup #broncos #beer #drinks #sportsevents
Stay in comfort and style during your next sports Stay in comfort and style during your next sports event at World Equestrian Center – Ocala’s luxury hotel, three-bedroom rental units or full-service #rvpark. Restore your aching body with treatments at Calluna #spa or enjoy dining and shopping at the facility’s impressive restaurants and performance retailers.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Toronto Maple Leafs to Host 2024 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend
  • Billie Jean King Cup Heading to Palm Beaches
  • 2023 PGA University Championship Headed to Mississippi
  • Gulf Shores Explores New $6 Million Building at Sportsplex
  • Copenhagen to Host Two FIBA Europe Cup Events
  • Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay to Begin in Marseille
  • Australia, New Zealand ‘Disappointed’ by Women’s World Cup Saudi Sponsorship
  • IOC Details Russia Stance for Olympics as Ukraine Threatens Boycott
Sports Travel Magazine

About Us

Since 1997, SportsTravel magazine has served the sports‐related travel and event industry. It is the only publication written and designed to serve the people who organize, manage and host sporting events of all types at all levels.

  • Subscribe to E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • SportsTravel Foundation
  • Supplied Content
  • Privacy
  • Terms

NORTHSTAR TRAVEL MEDIA SITES

  • Northstar Meetings Group
  • Meetings & Conventions
  • Meetings & Conventions Asia
  • Meetings & Conventions China
  • Successful Meetings
  • Incentive
  • Meeting News
  • Retail Travel
  • Travel Technology
  • Corporate Travel
  • Hotel Investment
  • Data Products
  • See All Northstar Brands

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Sports ETA

Destinations International
Northstar Travel Media LLC Copyright © 2023 by Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000
scroll to top