Leveraging geospatial analysis and econometric methods to evaluate the impacts of events on community wellbeing: a dichotomy of objective and subjective metrics

Abstract

Event tourism is a vital part of the tourism industry, known for its economic impact and potential to support community development. However, its broader effects on residents’ wellbeing are less understood. Existing research often emphasizes economic benefits based on residents’ perceptions, overlooking measurable impacts. There's also limited spatial and temporal analysis, and few studies explore causal links between hosting events and wellbeing, especially the interaction between residents’ objective data and subjective experiences. This study aims to address these shortcomings through a multi-method approach, combining geospatial analysis, temporal causality testing, and configurational methods. Focusing on four counties in Hawaii from 2000 to 2022, it draws on Core-Periphery Structure Theory and Spillover Theory to analyze spatial patterns, causal pathways, and gaps between perception and reality. The findings reveal notable spatial heterogeneity between core areas which tend to benefit more than peripheral ones, and complex temporal dynamics, including evidence of bidirectional Granger causality between events and socio-economic indicators. The research also highlights discrepancies between residents’ subjective wellbeing and objective data, offering a more nuanced picture of how event tourism affects communities.