Tourism aspects of the XVII Rome Olympiad

In 1955, when Rome was awarded the XVII Olympiad, the entire city’s infrastructure was significantly upgraded, and a number of new sports venues were constructed or modified. None of the new stadiums were as interesting as the ancient sites in which some events were held. The mixture of modern and ancient sites in which to hold the contests gave the Rome Olympics unprecedented cultural scope that had never been seen in earlier Games. The cultural breadth of the Rome Games was further enhanced by a series of historic sporting events, theatrical performances, and exhibitions staged during the Games. The opportunities provided for those who were not overly interested in sports to enjoy a host of recreational and leisure activities extended the range of potential visitors to the Eternal City. This meant that organizers had to adopt the widest possible perspective when dealing with the tourist question, given that the forecast massive influx of tourists and athletes would be concentrated in a limited time frame (between the opening and closure of the Games) and that it would not be practical to build further permanent accommodation which would not be used during the usual tourist seasons. This paper examines the issues connected with the required extension of accommodation capacity in Rome and the relationship between hotels and additional, complementary facilities. It then goes on to consider reservation methods and price-control measures adopted to check unwarranted price hikes on the part of hoteliers. It also examines the significant aspects of the massive influx of visitors to Rome recorded during the Games and assesses the economic benefits which international tourism contributed to adjusting Italy’s balance of payments. Keywords: Olympic tourism; hospitality; price control; economic benefits from international tourism