Legacy strategy of the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games

CEO-UAB collaborated with the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games in the process of strategic planning for the event legacy which focuses on socioeconomic development. The collaboration was carried out during the period 2015-2016, through two projects funded by the Catalonia Employment Service:

• Strategic board for the economical growth and reactivation of employment opportunities generated by the legacy of Mediterranean Games Tarragona 2018 (2015)
• Planning and monitoring the legacy strategy of the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games and its impact on the socio-economic reactivation of the territory (2016)

The Strategic Board provided a space for reflecting and defining the legacy strategy of the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games, based on cooperation and innovation. It brought together public and private actors involved in the event. The Strategic Board facilitated a collaborative work aimed to identify and define the challenges and opportunities around the event, with a focus on economic and occupational development, and promote strategic projects to meet these challenges.

As a result, four strategic lines of action were identified, resulting in 14 strategic legacy objectives of the Mediterranean Games oriented to local development, and 10 programs with 32 strategic projects that should be strengthened or consolidated in the coming years.

During this process, 138 local actors participated in the process: six participatory work sessions (120 participants); interviews with 30 experts and key local actors involved in the legacy of the Games; and an ideas contests aimed at the secondary education centers. Actors represented both the public sector (town halls, educational centers, universities, Tarragona Provincial Council, territorial services) and the private sector (professionals from the sports, tourism and cultural sectors, professional associations, chambers of commerce and employers).

Berta Cerezuela, head of project, during a working session

Project outcomes

Strategic Plan for the Legacy of the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games

The Strategic Plan aims to boost the host economy by maximising its catalyst effect to generate direct and indirect employment, promoting sports-related industries and professional profiles, improving human capital and its application to the productive sector, and strengthening the model of cooperation and networking. In addition, the plan aims to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life in the region and strengthen citizens’ sense of belonging and pride.

The strategic projects included in the Plan should be strengthened or consolidated in the coming years and revolve around four strategic lines:

1. Strengthen the vision and the territorial cooperation model.
2. Improve human capital, employability and promote employment in future sectors.
3. Increase environmental quality by promoting healthy habits and a participatory culture.
4. Strengthen the sports sector by improving its professionalism and management quality.

The Strategic Plan has been structured in seven sections:

• The description of the methodology applied during the strategic planning process.
• The legacy vision or starting point for strategic planning.
• The results of the strategic diagnosis developed, with the identification and description of the territory of influence and of the key actors, a socioeconomic analysis of the territory, and the SWOT with the detail of the weaknesses, threats, strengths and opportunities identified in the diagnosis.
• The general objectives, strategic lines, programs and projects identified and proposed as part of the Strategic Plan.
• Description of the process of implementation and monitoring of the deployment of the Strategic Plan through the Action Plan.
• The communication plan of the Strategic Plan.
• The scorecard of the Strategic Plan

Download the full document of the website Legado 2018 – Tarragona 2018