This presentation will critically review the three main sources of error in tourism event evaluation, related to the limited temporal, geographic and economic scope of current event evaluation approaches. In doing so, it will draw the attention of event researchers and managers away from the narrow focus on outcomes to a more comprehensive approach to understanding the more complex issues related to the evaluation of tourism events over time and across the whole of economy and society. In this way, the sustainability of mega-events in specific locations as well as the outlook for new or one-time mega-events will also be discussed.