Mega events have little to do with bolstering tourism, and in fact can have a negative impact. The report investigates the links between mega-sport events, tourism, and notions of development.

EQUATIONS report examines critically the hopes and myths, as well as assumptions and mental models about tourism’s potential of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Linked to this are the preparations being undertaken for tourists, a key aspect being the transformation of Delhi into a world class city. The social, cultural, economic, environmental, political, and human rights impacts ensuing from the preparations under way are examined. In particular, the place of accountability, democratic process and public consensus in hosting the CWG 2010 in Delhi are explored.

Calling for a re-visioning of tourism policy and practise in India the research study debunks the myth of tourism being used as a development tool – indicating how it addresses only the needs of an elite section of the industry and tourists. The report concludes that scant attention is paid to the impacts of these decisions and developments - some being labelled as unintended consequences and others simply dismissed as collateral damage. EQUATIONS joins many other organisations in the demand that high level enquiries be made into these violations of rights and norms of governance.