Martin Wallstam

Forskare|Researcher

I am a tourism scholar researching events and their role in regional development. Issues I have focused on include how to best measure the economic and social impacts of events, and in particular what those impacts mean for the places where events are staged. Fundamental to my research is the concept of "value" and what is considered "valuable" from a practitioner perspective. Since conceptions of value influences how we measure, assess and use events in a development context, it is important to understand what these conceptions are and how they are shaped. My thesis; “Panem et Circenses”: Realizing Social Value in the Strategic Management of Events”, explored these issues specifically in relation to social value.

My research brings with it a number of different lessons for practitioners and policymakers in the interface between community development, tourism and events. Not least does my research point to the importance of shared frameworks when evaluating several events - so-called "event portfolios" - for strategic purposes. A more consistent application of evaluation models, in turn, means that communities and destinations are better equipped to leverage events, and to consistently achieve event legacies over time.

Research projects

Current

Building social value competency ahead of a Winter Olympic bid

New perspectives on tourism, events and regional development(2)

Finished

The Event Compass

Publications

Articles in journals
Conference papers
Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries
Manuscripts
Reports

Articles in journals

Wallstam, M. (2022). Maintaining the status quo : the nature and role of policy stakeholders' perceptions of event value. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, vol. 13: 2, pp. 219-234.  

Wallstam, M. & Kronenberg, K. (2022). The Role of Major Sports Events in Regional Communities : A Spatial Approach to the Analysis of Social Impacts. Event Management, vol. 26: 5, pp. 1025-1039.  

Wallstam, M. , Ioannides, D. & Pettersson, R. (2018). Evaluating the social impacts of events : in search of unified indicators for effective policymaking. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, vol. 12: 2, pp. 122-141.    

Brown, S. , Getz, D. , Pettersson, R. & Wallstam, M. (2015). Event evaluation : Definitions, concepts and a state of the art review. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, vol. 6: 2, pp. 135-157.    

Conference papers

Wallstam, M. & Kronenberg, K. (2019). Evenemangseffekter : Lärdomar av två VM. Paper presented at the Almedalsveckan, Almedalen, Visby, 30 juni-7 juli, 2019

Wallstam, M. & Kronenberg, K. (2019). Sports events and regional development : Lessons from a “World Championships Region”. In The Diversity of Leisure : Proceedings of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies (ANZALS) 14th Biennial Conference. Dunedin :

Doctoral theses

Wallstam, M. (2022). “Panem et Circenses” : Realizing Social Value in the Strategic Management of Events. Dis. (Comprehensive summary) Sundsvall : Mid Sweden University, 2022 (Mid Sweden University doctoral thesis : 372)  

Manuscripts

Wallstam, M. , Pettersson, R. & Ioannides, D. Planned legacy or strategic leverage? : Pursuing the long-term benefits of two major sports events.

Reports

Pettersson, R. , Kronenberg, K. & Wallstam, M. (2023). En guide till turismekonomiska utvärderingar av evenemang. Östersund : Mid Sweden University (Populärvetenskapliga serien / European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR) 2023:1).  

Wallstam, M. , Kronenberg, K. & Pettersson, R. (2019). Socio-Economic Impacts of Major Sports Events : An Analysis of the 2019 Alpine and Biathlon WorldChampionships in Sweden. Östersund : Mid Sweden University (Rapportserien / European Tourism Research Institute 2019:3).  

Nordvall, A. & Wallstam, M. (2016). Utvärdera festivalbesökare och deras upplevelser. Östersund : Mittuniversitetet (Rapportserien / European Tourism Research Institute 2016: 1).  

The page was updated 10/26/2023