COVID-19 means Chinas is missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars from ticket sales. Above, medical staff wear personal protective clothing work at an Olympic Stadium on Feb. 3. Carl Court/Getty Images
The winter Olympics officially kick off on Friday, with the opening ceremony in Beijing.
This is the second Olympics to take place during COVID and, as was the case in Japan last summer, China decided not to sell any tickets to the games.
Even in non-pandemic times, hosting the Olympics was not exactly a money-maker.
“Overall when we’re talking about economic impact, we have found that there is no positive effect of hosting the Olympic Games,” said Nola Agha, a professor of sport management at the University of San Francisco.
Even when people can travel to the Olympics and buy tickets for events, “we actually find that this influx of tourists that we expect doesn’t make up for the decrease in local economic activity,” Agha added.
So how much does it matter, then, for China to not get any Olympic tourism this time around?
“What they lose from not having spectators and not having tourists is probably about $500 million to $600 million in ticket sales, and another maybe $100 million of hotel bills and restaurant expenditures,” said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College.
Considering China is spending billions to host the Olympics, it’s not that significant a loss.What’s more significant, economically, Zimbalist said, is the fact that the government has slowed or stopped production at a number of factories to reduce pollution during the games.
“That’s hurting employment and hurting income and hurting the Chinese economy,” he said. “And it’s also hurting the world economy, because it’s exacerbating the supply chain problems that have arisen in large part because of COVID.”
But for China, hosting the Olympics isn’t about money, according to the Wilson Center’s Robert Daly.
“China is doing this for reasons of glory — internationally, but mostly domestically,” he said.
In some ways, he said that all the pandemic restrictionsactually work to the government’s advantage.
“China, right now, wants to give the impression that it is orderly, that it is safe, that it is well-governed,” Daly said. “And the less that is actually going on, the fewer foreigners there are in China, the better for that.”
Even if it does cost more.
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FAQs
Which countries are boycotting the Olympics? The US, UK and Canada declared a diplomatic boycott, along with India, Australia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Belgium, Denmark and Estonia. They have all sent athletes, but no ministers or officials are attending.
Was the Los Angeles Olympics profitable? ›
In 1984, Los Angeles held the summer Olympics and realized a significant economic gain of $2.3 billion (unless otherwise noted, all dollar figures are U.S. dollars).
Is there a water shortage in Beijing Olympics? ›
The Olympics' artificial snow requires the equivalent of a day's worth of drinking water for 900 million people. Experts say it's the unfortunate future of winter sports. Beijing is the first Winter Olympics host to use essentially 100% artificial snow for the Games.
How are China's Winter Olympics carbon neutral? ›
Green energy is essential for carbon neutral. Electricity usage in all the venues for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games was 100% generated by wind and solar power in Zhangbei, as a result of the renewable energy flexible DC power grid project and the cross-regional green power trading mechanism in the host cities.
Why was Germany banned from the Olympics? ›
In addition, Germany had been selected to host the 1916 Summer Olympics as well as the 1940 Winter Olympics, both of which had to be cancelled due to World Wars. After these wars, Germany was banned from participating in the 1920, 1924 and 1948 Olympics.
What is the controversy with the Beijing Olympics? ›
Another Olympics, another high-profile doping scandal
Trimetazidine or TMZ is the same drug used by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva ahead of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, a violation that ultimately led to Valieva receiving a four-year ban from international competition.
Have any past Olympics made a profit? ›
Los Angeles concluded the 1984 Summer Games with a $215 million operating surplus, according to the CFR, making the City of Angels the only city in the world that has ever profited from hosting the Olympic Games in the modern era.
Did Brazil make money from the Olympics? ›
The Olympics did not have a lasting effect on the Brazilian economy, but temporarily created jobs, minimal GDP growth, boosted local tourism, and benefited relative business.
What sports were removed from the Olympics in 2028? ›
Boxing, modern pentathlon, and weightlifting had been provisionally removed due to governance issues; modern pentathlon and weightlifting were reinstated following reform efforts, with the modern pentathlon expected to employ a new format replacing show jumping with obstacle course racing.
Why is there no snow at Beijing Olympics? ›
China used 100% artificial snow since the area where most of the competitions are being held are technically a desert there was not enough (as in 0 inches) to make courses. It's plenty cold enough though so they made the snow with blowers. Somewhat the same with Pyeongchang in 2018, however only 98% was artificial.
China has adopted a state-driven approach to international sporting competitions, which is designed to boost athletic success through government policies and programs.
Is Beijing water drinkable? ›
Drinking tap water in China is not recommended as the standard is not there yet when compared to countries in the West. Instead, it's highly recommended to refrain from drinking water directly from the tap.
What year will China be carbon neutral? ›
“Dual carbon” goals refer to China's two climate goals announced by president Xi Jinping at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020. President Xi announced that China would reach its carbon emissions peak before 2030 and become “carbon neutral” before 2060.
Does China want to be carbon neutral? ›
China has committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. However, this task is considerably difficult. To meet its carbon neutrality commitments, China will rely on a range of policies and laws.
Where does China rank in carbon emissions? ›
Trend
| Rank | Country/Region | Mt CO2 |
|---|
| - | Asia Pacific | 34 357.005 |
| 1 | China | 10 648.54 |
| 2 | India | 2 279.007 |
| 3 | Japan | 998.14 |
2 more rowsThis was due to concerns of human rights abuses in China. On 8 December 2021, the United Kingdom and Canada joined the United States and Australia, whom both announced diplomatic boycotts of the 2022 Winter Olympics. In December 2021, the government of Latvia announced that it would not send diplomats to the games.
Has any country ever boycotted the Olympics? ›
1980 — The United States leads the largest ever Olympic boycott, comprising more than 60 nations, in protest at the Soviet Union hosting the 1980 Moscow Games year after invading Afghanistan. Some other countries, including Britain, compete, but under Olympic flags.
How many countries boycotted the 1980 Olympics? ›
In 1980, the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow to protest the late 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations refused to participate in the games, whereas 80 countries sent athletes to compete.
How many countries boycotted the 1984 Olympics? ›
The 1984 Games were boycotted by fourteen Eastern Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union and East Germany, in response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia, in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; Romania was the only Soviet Bloc state that opted to attend the Games.
