The 2008 Olympics in Beijing helped improve the overall quality of life in China. An event this big will affect each nation for a long time. The Chinese government created opportunities and regulations to make the city enjoyable for residents and foreigners. Millions of tourists, journalists, and businesspeople came to China, helping improve the country's economic and social life.
Employment soared even years before the 2008 Games were held. Beijing created jobs to help renovate and clean the city to welcome its visitors. According to the Beijing Olympic organizing committee, an estimated 1.8 million jobs were created solely due to the Olympics. It also brought in nearly 13.4 billion dollars to the city. This gives employers money to hire new resources creating new jobs in the future.
To accommodate the amount of people that came for the Games, Beijing increased its public transportation services. Subways doubled in size and capacity, more buses began running routes, and the government placed restrictions on car use. With more people using public transportation, the costs dropped and now buses are the cheapest form of transportation in China.
The increase in public transportation led to a reduction in air pollution. Factories around the city shut down to reduce smog in the air. Even after the Games ended, the efforts to keep a clean environment continued. About two-thirds of Beijing residents said the air has improved even after the 2008 Olympics, according to a Gallup poll cited by a report in allAfrica.com.
China opened free sports facilities for the general public to use. They wanted to improve the overall health of the population. These facilities stayed open after the Olympics and still remain free for the public. They have improved the fitness and health level of the average citizen in Beijing.
Beijing residents began taking courses and lessons to learn English and other languages. This helped lift the language barrier when tourists came for the Games. An estimated 5 million residents learned how to speak English.
People around the world attempted to learn Chinese as well before they visited the country for the Games. The Olympics helped unite citizens from countries around the world.