August 13, 2025
Tourism Engineering for Lasting Local Impact
How Tourism Infrastructure Can Turn Global Events Into Community Value
The Opportunity of a Generation
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics on the horizon, the U.S. is preparing for the spotlight on the global stage. These mega events are more than just sporting milestones; they’re catalysts for transformation. When done right, they become powerful platforms to revitalize infrastructure, spark economic growth, and elevate a city’s reputation worldwide.
Success hinges on strategic preparation, like designing systems that last, support local community needs, and inspire long after the final whistle.
“We’re not just engineering infrastructure – we’re engineering memories.”
Dr. Peter Tarlow
From the Ground Up: Engineering a Holistic Visitor Experience
Every touchpoint matters, from mobility and wayfinding to safety, accessibility, and guest comfort. Smart infrastructure connects these threads. It reduces friction, enhances tourist satisfaction, and supports legacy goals like increased tourism and community use.
Lessons from past events reveal consistent pressure points: unclear signage, inflexible transportation systems, and poor time management that frustrate visitors and limit event potential. Instead, integrated planning can ensure walkable venues, multilingual navigation, intuitive tech, and cooling or shading systems, all of which serve both residents and global guests and contribute to a holistic approach to the visiting experience.
Security, Simplified: Planning for Resilience
Security at mega events is complex. The key component is proactive, risk-informed design. Whether it’s mitigating everyday crime or coordinating international response teams, security planning should be seamless and layered into the infrastructure itself.
Flexibility is also critical. Planners must anticipate evolving threats, from biohazards to cyberattacks, and build contingencies that protect people, venues, and a city’s brand and local economy.
“When hosting these events, ensuring the safety and security of attendees is paramount. Key considerations include a comprehensive risk assessment, well-defined security protocols, crowd management and emergency response planning, communication systems, health and safety protocols, and cybersecurity.”
Bill Foos
Moving the Masses: Mobility That Works for Everyone
Transportation can make or break the tourist experience. Clear, multilingual signage, designated access routes, and real-time updates reduce confusion and keep people flowing. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City succeeded by investing in intuitive design, while Rio struggled at the 2016 Summer Olympics with congestion due to geographic limitations and inconsistent communication.
Inclusivity is equally important. Infrastructure must work for all mobility levels, with thoughtful attention to pedestrian fatigue, shade, rest areas, and accessible restrooms.
Collaboration Is a Competitive Edge
No one builds a successful mega event alone. Engineers, city officials, tourism experts, and public safety teams must align early and often. Planning should begin four years out but remain agile enough to adapt to global shifts and tourism industry trends. Cross-sector trust is essential. When engineers and marketers partner, for example, they can amplify benefits and highlight community-ready features like sustainable flooring or anti-fatigue pathways that improve tourism activities and long-term public use.
“A mega event is a tourism event. Yes, it’s sports – but first, it’s a tourism event.”
Dr. Peter Tarlow
Tech That Enhances, Not Complicates
Mobile apps, AR/VR previews, and integrated analytics can elevate the event experience, but only if they’re accessible, intuitive, and inclusive. In other words: simple wins. Over-engineered tools frustrate users and risk undermining their purpose. Real-time notifications, wayfinding support, and health and safety updates should be universal, multilingual, and effortless to use, especially in high-traffic tourist destinations.
Building Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure
The long-term success of any mega event hinges on how well it integrates with a city’s sustainable development goals. Infrastructure that supports both locals and visitors is what turns short-term investment into lasting value.
This is especially true for open-air walkways, shaded rest areas, and multi-use green spaces that support nature-based recreation and community wellness. When these areas double as tourist attractions, like waterfront promenades or revitalized urban parks, they create daily value for residents while continuing to draw visitors for years to come.
Consider London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (pictured above): designed not just as an event venue, but as a public space that locals enjoy. The park offers new ways to relax, play, and connect. That kind of vision transforms a sporting legacy into a city asset.
On-Demand Webcast
Engineering Mega Events: Building Long-Term Value Through Tourism Infrastructure
Infrastructure With a Legacy
We believe infrastructure is more than a framework; it’s the foundation for thriving communities. With the right mindset and partnerships, mega events can shape memories, move people, and create opportunity. When infrastructure supports best practices in tourism, the results are sustainable, inclusive, and forward-thinking. It doesn’t just serve an event; it transforms a city.
If you’re planning an upcoming event, let’s talk. Together, we can set a new standard for the world, and for generations to come.
Meet our experts
Bill Foos, MBA, CPP, PSP
Vice President & Senior Director, Security and Safety
William "Bill" Foos, CPP, PSP, is the senior director and vice president of the firm's security and safety business line. He has more than 40 years of experience protecting various types of infrastructure with physical security, emergency preparedness, and cybersecurity best practices.
Bill Foos, MBA, CPP, PSP
Vice President & Senior Director, Security and Safety
William "Bill" Foos, CPP, PSP, is the senior director and vice president of the firm's security and safety business line. He has more than 40 years of experience protecting various types of infrastructure with physical security, emergency preparedness, and cybersecurity best practices.
Bill Foos, MBA, CPP, PSP
Vice President & Senior Director, Security and Safety
William "Bill" Foos, CPP, PSP, is the senior director and vice president of the firm's security and safety business line. He has more than 40 years of experience protecting various types of infrastructure with physical security, emergency preparedness, and cybersecurity best practices.
Dr. Peter Tarlow
Tourism Engineering Specialist
Dr. Peter Tarlow is an international expert in tourism safety. He consults globally on tourism security, trains law enforcement, and has supported safety planning for major events like the Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and FIFA World Cup.
Dr. Peter Tarlow
Tourism Engineering Specialist
Dr. Peter Tarlow is an international expert in tourism safety. He consults globally on tourism security, trains law enforcement, and has supported safety planning for major events like the Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and FIFA World Cup.
Dr. Peter Tarlow
Tourism Engineering Specialist
Dr. Peter Tarlow is an international expert in tourism safety. He consults globally on tourism security, trains law enforcement, and has supported safety planning for major events like the Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and FIFA World Cup.
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