“Change or be changed”: Is the Olympics adapting quickly enough to the future of travel?

“Change or be changed.” The motto plastered on Thomas Bach’s office wall brings to mind Ted Lasso’s bright yellow “believe” poster, plastered in the football club’s changing rooms. But while this may seem cliche, the motto chosen by Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), speaks to many core concerns at the heart of the Games. What does the future hold for this centuries-old competition? What will its legacy be? How will it stay relevant? What are the committee doing to grapple with modern social and environmental issues?

In the past decade, the challenges thrown at the IOC have seemed endless. There’s sustainability issues highlighted by the drastic carbon footprint of past Games, concerns regarding accessibility emphasised by reports of poor provisions and lack of attention from the Paris committee, the lasting impact of the pandemic and pressure to adapt to global social, economic and cultural affairs. Calls for the Games to grow and change have never been so loud.

“Embracing change to maintain relevance is our number one priority,” Christophe Dubi, the Olympic Games’ executive director, told us when we sat down with him earlier this year, a few months out from the Opening Ceremony. “It’s only by constantly challenging yourself and embracing changes… that you remain appealing, both to audiences and to host destinations.”

Perhaps the clearest recent manifestation of this need for change was at Tokyo 2020. “[Tokyo] showed us that, no matter what happens – whatever it takes – we have a commitment to deliver the Games,” Dubi smiles. “In the context of Tokyo, it was supposed to be 2020, it was delivered in 2021. But we still did it. It was the most fulfilling management situation to be involved in. There was the most pressure, it was so complex, and the world was in fear. But it became a beacon of hope, and it meant that it was even more rewarding. And in the end, it showed that no matter what, when there is a will, there is a way.”

As the world prepares for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, there’s a clear sense of hope – from the IOC, the French government and all involved – that this Games’ legacy will be as positive and long lasting. After all, looking back at past versions of the Games further speaks to the transformative power the event can hold, particularly on the host destination. When Seoul hosted the competition in 1988, the city was largely known on a global scale for the Korean War. The impact that the Games had on South Korea’s reputation was phenomenal. The government focussed on redeveloping underfunded and run-down areas of the city, injecting new life into Seoul’s infrastructure and cultural scene. The successful creation of the Olympic Park meant that Korea was reconsidered for future sporting events, from the 2002 FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018. The Games provided a launchpad for Seoul to refocus its attention internally after years of unrest, and resulted in a huge surge of interest from international visitors that remains stronger than ever today.

London also wears its Olympic legacy with pride – it was the first city to host the modern Games three times, and the influence of the 2012 Games is still felt across the city. Construction was on a mass scale, resulting in the development of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – a 200-hectare venue built on a former industrial site in Stratford. The site continues to host sporting and cultural events, from art exhibitions and university campuses to Grand Prix athletics. More than a decade on, the cable car built to transport athletes from venues on opposite sides of the Thames still serves as a tourist attraction, designed to carry up to 2,500 passengers an hour. Despite negativity in the media and widespread scepticism from shrewd Londoners as the city prepared itself to host, the 2012 Games were considered a huge success both at home and on the world stage by the time the closing ceremony rolled around.

So what will Paris’ legacy be? And how does the 2024 Games signal what the future of the Olympics and Paralympics might look like in 10 or 20 years? Each new Olympic Games means new obstacles, social trends and cultural moments are to be met, adhered to or, at the very least, referenced in order for the competition to prove its relevance and capacity to adapt. For Paris 2024, this sentiment has largely been reflected in its focus on sustainability.

“The Paris Games will actually have a carbon footprint which is only 50 per cent of the average from London and Rio individually,” explains Christian Klaue, director of corporate communications and public affairs for the International Olympic Committee. “They have done a brilliant job in using existing venues. The only venue they really have built from scratch is the new swimming pool – all the other venues were more or less existing. It worked perfectly with our new policy at the IOC, to use existing venues. If they don't have them in the host city, we look outside the city; you don't have them in the region, look outside the region, or even look outside the country.” This year, for example, the Olympic sailing and some of the football events will take place in Marseille, while surfing competitions will be held in Tahiti, French Polynesia.

The significance of the new sustainability policies adopted by the IOC have never been more prominent than in Paris 2024. The environmental impact of travel is becoming more and more prominent, and “light touch” events are of more interest than ever to travellers. Pivoting from building fancy new venues to turning the spotlight on other talking-points is key this year. “The policy was a huge new thing to introduce because it's so drastically different from what we’ve done in the past,” Klaue continues. “Part of what people used to love about it was seeing this amazing new structure and it was all about the novelty, whereas I think there is a marked change in people's interest in visiting a destination – now, they want to see how the Olympics have integrated it into that place, and what the residual impact will be long term.”

Long-term impact is of utmost importance here – the same principle applies to the work that has gone into the Games’ accessibility policies. “Historically, Paralympic sport received very little coverage indeed, and the coverage it did receive was often at best empathetic. It didn’t really ever showcase the Paralympics for what it is – a global showcase of world class elite sport,” says David Clarke OBE, CEO of Paralympics GB and former footballer for GB’s blind football team. “We have enjoyed a an enormous uptick in coverage through the media and television over the last decade, with the focus being on live streaming of Paralympic sport. This, coupled with a similar increase in public interest in Paralympic sport and a demand for greater opportunities to get involved have all led to the Paralympics being considered a critical part of a Games year and the event has become incredibly attractive to sports fans who love to see elite world class sport at its best.”

This change in attitude towards the Paralympics is best seen by the increased care and attention to accessibility from host cities. Accessibility, both within the Olympic games and within Paris itself, is finally getting more attention. The city is preparing to host more than 350,000 visitors with disabilities and 4,400 para-athletes, and measures are being taken to ensure that access for Disabled travellers is prioritised.

“Hosting a Paralympics has certainly acted as a catalyst for change – it encourages governments, businesses, service providers and the public to reflect on how they can bring about meaningful change to include disabled people in wider society,” Clarke explains. "This has not only led to physical improvements such as greater accessibility across the public transport system and accessible public buildings, but also has brought about a shift in public attitudes and a real recognition that it is how we build our society that determines the level of inclusion that disabled people face. This increased advocacy and allyship is so important when advocating for real equity and inclusion for disabled people. That said, while hosting a Paralympics can shine a light on some of these issues and emphasise and amplify the case for change,  it should not take such a global event to encourage towns and cities to make themselves fully accessible to all.

Inclusivity beyond the Paralympics has been a wider topic of debate, too. The International Olympic Committee has come under increased scrutiny and pressure in recent years regarding equality and inclusion. The Paris Games is “set to make history as the first gender-equal games, with 50 per cent of the medals going to women” for the first time in the event’s history, according to The Independent. But there is still progress to be made, particularly regarding the inclusion of trans athletes, who are facing heavier restrictions than ever before.

The legacy of the games relies heavily on how the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee look to the future. The power of the Games, both for citizens of host destinations and spectators travelling miles to witness the events, transcends far beyond materialistic gains – it is no longer about the impressive new stadiums, but instead way more focussed on the emotional and sentimental impact of bringing together people from all different nations, cultures and backgrounds into one place.

This new person-focussed perspective is evident when looking at the clamour and excitement of the Games on social media. Paris 2024 will be the second Olympic Games taking place since TikTok, and athletes are taking to the platform to generate enthusiasm. It’s easy to forget that the majority of these athletes are young adults (the average age of an Olympian is 27), and in spite of their record-breaking careers, are also looking to have fun (as reported in The New York Times) and document their experiences for friends and fans (a video of diving duo Tom Daley and Noah Williams unboxing a package of condoms hit 7.3 million views on TikTok). Reuters reported that this year, athletes appear to be competing for likes and follows as much as medals, partially to drum up support, but also for the potential to supplement their salary. American Paralympian Ezra Frech (high jump, long jump and sprint athlete) has been whimsically chronicling his journey to Paris with daily updates of his training until he “wins Paralympic Gold”, while three-times world champion Paralympic swimmer Anastasia Pagonis has documents her life, career and beauty tips on her social channels.

“It all goes back to the motto, ‘change or be changed’,” says Dubi. “Just imagine: we have 10,500 athletes from all corners of the world. There's no corner which is not covered. Every little island is going to be there. They will all come together and live in one village. There's going to be peace in this village. And that alone is also a symbol. We need to speak to each individual, and nobody else can offer that. We are in the business of creating collective memories and positive emotions. That's it.”