on sport tourism

What is sports tourism and why it is so big?

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

Sports tourism is BIG business. We all know that sport tourism involves sporting activity, that much is pretty obvious, but there is much more than a game of sport involved in the multi million Dollar global industry. In this article I will explain what sports tourism is, I will tell you about the different types of sports tourism and I will discuss the benefits of sports tourism.

What is sports tourism?

Sports tourism definitions, sports tourism statistics, football world cup, six nations rugby championship, the olympics, the super bowl, calgary olympic park, maracana football stadium, rio de janiero, barcelona olympic park, tough mudder race, london, martial arts holidays, south korea, surfing holidays, portugal, golf tours, florida, yoga retreats, bali, football fans- manchester united spectators, boxing fans- anthony joshua followers, british & irish lions rugby spectators, australian cricket fans, benefits of sport tourism, sports tourism: conclusion, further reading on sports tourism.

Sports tourism is the act of travelling from one locality to another, with the intention of being in some way involved with a sporting activity or event .

Many people believe that sports tourism relates only to watching a sporting event. However, this is not correct. The sports industry is much more than this.

Sports tourism encompasses travelling for your own sporting purposes, such as a yoga teacher training course, a badminton competition or to learn to surf. Sports tourism includes attending sporting events such as a Formula One race or a Premiership football match. Sports tourism includes nostalgic visits to places of historical importance, such as the Olympic stadium in Barcelona or to see memorabilia related to your favourite sporting hero, such as the museum at the Maracana football stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

There are, in fact, four main types of sport tourism. These types are known as:

• Sport Event Tourism
• Active Sport Tourism
• Nostalgia Sport Tourism

Passive sports tourism

While sports tourism has not always been extremely popular, during the recent decade the amount of people attending out of area sporting events has drastically increased. People are now traveling far and wide just to attend their favorite events, and it is no wonder as to what has encouraged the sudden spike in popularity.

Sport tourism is a relatively new concept, although it has been around for a long time.

There are many academic studies which delve into the concept of sports tourism, particularly sports tourism that involves large sporting events, such as the football World Cup or the Olympic Games. Some scholars and sports tourism stakeholders have attempted to define the term sports tourism.

According to Neirotti (2003), sports tourism can be broadly described as;

‘Including travel away from one’s primary residence to participate in sports activity, for recreation or competition purposes, travel to observe sport at grassroots or elite level, and travel to visit a sports attraction such as a sports museum, for instance’.

Weed and Bull (2004), provide a conceptualisation of the sports tourism phenomenon as;

‘A social, economic and cultural phenomenon arising from the unique interaction of activity, people and place’’.

Gammon and Robinson (2003) state that sports and tourism is;

‘Not just about the management and operation of mega events; it also concerns offering consumer-specific sports and tourism-related services and experiences to the sports tourist.’

Read also: Sustainable tourism- everything you need to know

Gammon and Robinson (2003) further argue that the sports tourism industry cannot be defined easily and that there should be different definitions according to the type of sports tourism that is being discussed. They visualise this in the model below.

Today, sport is regarded as the world’s largest social phenomenon. And, tourism is predicted to become the world’s biggest industry early in the next century. So it doesn’t take a genius to work out that sports tourism is pretty big business!

The sports tourism industry has grown considerably in recent years. In 2016 the sports tourism industry was worth $1.41 trillion and this figure is expected to increase to approximately $5.72 trillion by 2021. This is a whopping 41% growth in only four years!

**Studying sports tourism? I recommend- Sports Tourism: Participants, Policy and Providers **

The sports tourism industry makes up a significant part off the overall tourism industry. Some people claim that this figure is as high as 25%, meaning that a quarter of all tourism in the world is sports related!

The importance of sports tourism is further emphasised by the media statements from the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which in 2004, announced their commitment to reinforce their partnerships on collaboration in the sports and tourism domain. They stated that; 

‘Tourism and sport are interrelated and complementary… both are powerful forces for development, stimulating investment in infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, stadiums, sporting complexes and restaurant-projects that can be enjoyed by the local population as well as tourists who come to use them.

This demonstrates that sports tourism has a wider economic and social impact than simply the sporting occasion itself. It provides social and economic opportunities for the local population , as well as visitors to the area.

The different types of sport tourism

Sport tourism can be segregated into four main types: sport event tourism, nostalgia sports tourism, active sports tourism and passive sports tourism. Below I have provided a short explanation of what each type of tourism is, along with some examples.

Sport event tourism

Sports event tourism is tourism which centres around a sporting event. Sporting events can be of any size and importance, however it tends to be the major sporting events which gain the most gravitas.

Hallmark events, such as the Olympics or football World Cup, are important centres for sport event tourism, bringing millions of tourists to the host destination.

Smaller events, such as the Henley Regatta in the United Kingdom or a national tennis competition also clarify as sport event tourism.

An often overlooked example of sport event tourism are amateur sporting events. Events such as regional school competitions, youth sporting leagues and non-profit community based sport events are just a few examples.

Wimbledon, also known as ‘The Championships’ is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. A prestigious sporting event, Wimbledon is often associated with the upper class, where spectators sip sparkling wine and Pimms whilst dressed in their best frocks.

Knowing very little about tennis, I attending Wimbledon a couple of years ago just to experience this famous event, which is an integral part off British heritage!

Dating back to 1877, Wimbledon has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, on the outskirts of London, each year. The tennis is played on outdoor grass courts, which is unlike tennis matches played in many other parts of the world.

Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the others being the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.

The tournament takes place in late June/early July each year.

The football World Cup, known officially as the FIFA World Cup, is an international football tournament held every four years.

The  Fédération Internationale de Football Association  (FIFA) is the sport’s global governing body. The football consists of mens only teams and boats the most skilled footballers in the world.

Teams must first pass the qualification phase, which takes place over the preceding three years. After this, 32 teams, including the automatically qualifying host nation, compete in the tournament. The World Cup tournament generally lasts about one month.

The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition that takes place. It involves what are considered to be the six best nations in terms of rugby in Europe The six nations are:

The Six Nations tournament begins on the first weekend in February each year and finishes with ‘Super Saturday’ on the second or third Saturday in March.

Each team is required to play every other team once (making a total of 15 matches). Each team will play one match at home and one match away from home.

I attended a six nations match once and whilst I’m really not into rugby (surprise!), I really enjoyed the sophisticated and supportive atmosphere at the venue.

Inspired by the ancient Greeks, the modern Olympic Games have been running since 1896. But, in fact, the games have been played in some form or another since long before this date.

The Olympics is perhaps the most famous and the most popular international sporting event. It features both summer and winter sports competitions which take place every four years. Like many other major sporting events, the Olympics are held in a different location each time.

Read also: Slow tourism: Everything you need to know

The Olympics involves thousands of athletes from around the world who compete in a range of different sports, from trampolining to running. Over 200 nations participate in the event.

The Super Bowl is the annual championship of the National Football League (NFL). Based in the Unites States of America, this is the most popular sport tourism event of the year.

Some interesting facts include The Super Bowl being the second-largest day for food consumption in the USA (after Thanksgiving) and the Super Bowl being the most-watched American television broadcast of the year.

Nostalgia sports tourism

Nostalgia sport tourism involves travelling to famous sport-related tourist attractions.

Nostalgia sports tourism may celebrate sports of the past or the present. It may include visiting museums or exhibitions, visiting sporting hall of fames or visiting sporting venues.

The nostalgia sports tourist does not need to be actively participating in sport or to be spectating. They may simply want to learn more or to reminisce.

Here are some examples of popular nostalgia sport tourism attractions.

We visited Calgary Olympic Park on travels through Canada with a baby and loved it!

WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park (COP), (formerly known as Paskapoo Ski Hill) was one of the venues used in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Nowadays, it is open to the general public and iw well known for its ski jumping, bobsleigh and luge.

Whilst we did learn a little bit about the Olympics on our visit here, we actually sent more time on the luge ride than anything else because it was so much fun!

The Maracana is a famous football stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The stadium is rich in history and was once the largest stadium in the world.

The stadium was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup. The venue has seen attendances of 150,000 or more at 26 occasions. Over time terraces were replaced with seating, and after the renovation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Maracana’s original capacity was reduced to 78,838.

Nowadays, it is popular to take a tour to visit the Maracana stadium, like I did when I travelled to Buenos Aires with my friend who is football mad!

The Olympic Village, known in Spanish as La Vila Olímpica del Poblenou is an area in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona, Spain.

The Barcelona Olympic Village was built in the late 1980s and early 1990s in preparation for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, which were held in Barcelona.

Nowadays, visiting the Barcelona Olympic Village is a popular sports tourism activity undertaken by many tourists visiting Barcelona.

Active sports tourism

Active sports tourism is when a person travels to actively participate in their chosen sport, or when they travel for other reasons, but taking part in sport is an important part of their tourism experience.

Active sports tourists can be segregated into three classifications: The amateur sports tourist; the hobbyist sports tourist and the professional sports tourist.

I would say that I would generally come under the first category. I am an amateur (at best!) at every sport I try my hand at. But, I still like to give it a go! I’ve attempted skiing in Argentina, kayaking in Vietnam and surfing in Costa Rica, to name but a few.

Read also: Business tourism: Everything you need to know

My husband, on the other hand, is usually either a hobbyist sports tourist or a professional sports tourist. He plays for badminton and football teams and loves playing a large number of sports in his free time. He is also a former athlete, having competed for Britain as a trampoline gymnast. As part of this role he travelled around the workload for professional sporting competitions. This qualified him as a professional sports tourist.

There are a large number of active sports that a tourist may choose to get involved with around the world. Here are a few that I have experienced on my travels. But there are sooo many other sports that you can get involved in as a sports tourist!

• Diving in the Galapagos
• Swimming at the Great Barrier Reef
• Playing tennis in Morocco
• Learning archery in Spain
• Going running in France
• Cycling in Amsterdam
• Taking yoga classes in Bali
• Learning tai chi in China
• Kayaking in Vietnam
• Sailing in Australia
• Skiing in Argentina
• Surfing in Costa Rica
• Playing baseball in Boston
• Hand gliding in Rio de Janeiro
• Fishing in The Gambia
• Climbing in Thailand
• Horse riding in Equador
• Walking in Jeju

Here are a few active sports tourism examples:

Did I ever tell you that I completed a Tough Mudder Race? This was a BIG achievement!

Tough Mudder is an endurance event. It is a an obstacle course, originally designed for army training. It is a test of the mind and body.

The race is usually between 10-12 miles in length. It includes a number of obstacles, many of which involve mud! The obstacles often play on common human fears, such as fire, water , electricity and heights.

**Buy now: Sport and Tourism – a recommended textbook for sports studies students!**

Common obstacles include:

• Arctic Enema – Participants plunge into a tank filled with ice water, where they must swim under the water and past an obstacle to the other side.
• Electroshock Therapy – This is where participants will run through a pit of mud where electric wires sway in the air. Participants will often get small electric shocks.
• Funky Monkey – Monkey bars over a pit of cold water. The bars are covered with a mixture of butter and mud.
• The birthing canal- A small, confined space that the participant must crawl through. The upper layer is filled with water so it feels like you are being compressed as you crawl through the tunnel.

Of course, you will need to travel to a Tough Mudder venue to be classified a sports tourism, but many people do!

Many people choose to travel to South Korea for martial arts holidays and Taekwondo-themed events. These might be amateur sports tourists, hobbyist sports tourists or professional sports tourists, depending on the level of involvement and activity type.

Portugal is a popular destination for surf holidays. You can go it alone, if you have the skills and ‘know-how’, or you can book a tour. There are a number of tour operator who offer specialised surfing holidays for all levels of sports tourists, ranging from beginner to advanced.

There are several golfing hotspots around the world. One of the most popular places to travel to for a golfing holiday is Florida . With its year-round pleasant weather and large open spaces, Florida welcomes golf tourists from all over the world to play on their first-class golf courses.

There are many parts of Asia that are known for the popularity of yoga. However, done attracts so many tourists as Bali. Bali is famous the world over for offering top quality yoga retreats and yoga teacher training courses.

Lastly, it is important to recognise that whilst sport is inherently active , not all those who participate or who are involved with the sport are themselves active. In fact, passive tourists can actually contribute more to the sport than those who are active!

A passive sports tourist is a person who is not actively participating in the sport. They are spectators or fans. Passive sports tourism involves tourists watching sport being played. This could take place at a major sporting event (qualifying this also as sports event tourism), or they could simply be supporting a family member of friend. Most passive sports tourists are fans.

Football, or soccer, is arguably the most well-known and popular sports in the world.

Manchester United is a particularly famous football club. It is estimated by the BBC that Manchester United has a whopping 659million football fans!

I always find is fascinating when I travel to a country that is so different and so far removed from my own, yet the locals are also quick to ask me about Manchester United!

Many sports tourists will follow Manchester United, or which ever football team is their favourite, around the world to watch their games.

Anthony Joshua is a British professional boxer. He has many millions of followers, both from the UK and abroad.

Anthony is a two-time unified heavyweight champion, having held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles since December 2019, and previously between 2016 and June 2019. At regional level, he held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles from 2014 to 2016.

Anthony Joshua participates in fights around the world and is often accompanies by his passive sports tourism supporters.

The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for any of the Home Nations – the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. 

If rugby is your thing and your from Britain or Ireland, then this is a pretty big deal.

The Lions have many thousands of passive sports tourism supporters who cheat them on each match.

Cricket is pretty big in Australia. So big, in fact, that the Australian cricket team has an estimated 24million supporters! Many of these supporters travel with the team around the world as passive sports tourists.

As with any type of tourism , there are a range of benefits and advantages of sports tourism. Whilst the most obvious is perhaps the economic advantage of tourism , there are also positive social impacts as well as environmental impacts . Below I provide some examples:

• Sports encourages tourists to visit the area
• Sports tourism creates economic growth through tourists booking hotel rooms, eating in restaurants and opening money in local shops
• Sports tourism helps to create exposure and enhances a positive image for the local community
• Many sports tourism infrastructures and facilities can also be used by members of the host community
• The development of sports tourism helps to build a sense of community
• Sports tourism has the potential to attract high-yield visitors and repeat visitors
• It can provide opportunity to develop new infrastructure in the area
• The media can help to promote the destination
• Sports tourism can improve overall tourist numbers
• Money made from sports tourism can be reinvested into the local economy
• Sports tourism creates jobs for local people
• Sports tourism which relies on the natural environment may result in better environmental management and preservation

Whilst there are many positive impacts of sports tourism, however, it is also important that there are a number of negative impacts too. Aspects such as environmental degradation when gold courses, employing foreign rather than local people for major sporting events and locals who feel that their cultural norms are being overlooked (such as not covering your shoulders in the Middle East, for example), are just a few example of negative impacts of sports tourism.

It is clear that sports tourism is big business. Whether its events sports tourism, active sports tourism, nostalgic sports tourism or passive sports tourism, there is a huge market for tourists worldwide. However, as with any type of tourism, sports tourism must be carefully managed to ensure that it is sustainable .

For more information on sports tourism, I recommend the texts below;

• Sports Tourism: Participants, Policy and Providers – explains sports tourism as a social, economic and cultural phenomenon that stems from the unique interaction of activity, people and place.
• Sport Tourism Development – a text book covering the growth and development of sport tourism.
• Sport Tourism Destinations: Issues and Analysis – with contributions from international experts, this book looks at the dramatic effects sports tourism has on the economy and future of tourism destinations. 
• Sport and Tourism – This book proposes a groundbreaking theoretical model which explores globalization, mobility and authenticity providing insight into the unique interrelationship that exists in a sport tourism context between activity, people and place.

How does sport contribute to tourism?

Tourism is one of the world’s most important economic sectors. It allows people to experience the world’s different cultural and natural riches and brings people closer to each other, highlighting our common humanity.

The many important contributions of tourism encouraged the  UN World Tourism Organization  ( UNWTO ) to institute World Tourism Day, celebrated annually since 1980 on 27 September, to highlight the importance of tourism and its impact on our society.

Tourism and sports

According to UNWTO , tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world, while sport is one of the world’s largest social phenomenon. As a professional or leisure activity, sport often involves travel to other places, to play and compete in various destinations. Further, major sporting events, such as the Olympics and various World Cups, have become powerful tourist attractions.

Sports tourism constitutes a large part of the tourism industry, with some sources claiming that a  quarter of all tourism in the world is sports-related. Sports tourism includes not only participation in and attending sporting events, but also personal recreational activities.

Statements from the World Tourism Organisation and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have highlighted the importance of sports tourism; in 2004, the organisations committed to reinforcing their partnership and collaboration in the sports tourism domain, stating :

“Tourism and sport are interrelated and complementary… both are powerful forces for development, stimulating investment in infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, stadiums, sporting complexes and restaurants- projects that can be enjoyed by the local population as well as tourists who come to use them.”

Sports tourism and sustainable development

Tourism is an essential pillar of the  2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially  goals 8 ,  12 , and  14 . As a segment of tourism, sports tourism can also help achieve sustainable development .

At an economic level, sports tourism contributes to SDGs 1 (end poverty in all its forms everywhere) and 8 (promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all). Sports tourism promotes local businesses, creating demand in areas such as transportation, hotels and restaurants. Thus, local populations can avail jobs and income opportunities. Depending on the nature of the sports and experiences, local people can work as instructors and guides, who are likely to be paid more due to their special skills.

Further, sports tourism contributes to SDG 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages). Besides providing the tourists with sporting opportunities and an outlet for physical exercise, investment in sports tourism can also promote the participation of local populations in sporting activities.

Finally, sports tourism can also contribute to SDG 11 (make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Accessible sports tourism products like hand bikes provide access to sports opportunities for people with disabilities. Para-sport activities can be enjoyed by tourists and residents alike. The development of accessible sports tourism can improve accessibility in the destination city by the provision of not only sports products, but also accessible accommodation and transport. Furthermore, accessible sports tourism helps increase the understanding of people with disabilities in society.

Sports, tourism and sustainability

Sports federations, like the IOC, have realised the need for sustainable practices during mega sporting events. Thus, the IOC launched the International Federation (IF) Sustainability Project in 2016 to obtain an overview of their sustainability initiatives, identifying common topics, challenges and good practices. Building on the Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC Sustainability Strategy was developed in close cooperation with many stakeholders and partners to fundamentally shape the working practices of the IOC, the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement.

To develop synergies between the stakeholders so that sports and its facilities can be included in the local assets, it is necessary for decision-makers at all levels to understand their potential and agree to work together to set up sustainable development strategies. 

Host cities should target participants who are most likely to engage in sustainable behaviour while in the destination. This includes developing event portfolios geared towards sustainable event practices. The host city should also harness collaborative partnerships to foster social cohesion and build the capacity to increase sustainable practices.

From the design and construction of sports facilities and the way resources are managed, to valuing the natural environment and health and well-being of people, all decisions should be informed by sustainability principles. As the role and relevance of sport in today’s society continue to grow, progress can only be in cooperation and partnership with others, including the tourism industry.

• Related article: Active tourism
• Related article: How can fans support sustainability in sports?

Related Articles

PSD completes the first and second batches of Level 1: Introduction to S4D

Moving People deserve organisations that treat them as their first priority

Sport for Development Coalition launches weekly drop-in webinar series

Building communities through participatory sport for development

Steering board members.

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events

An Olympic Impact on Sports Tourism: The Legacy for U.S. Host Cities

For los angeles, atlanta, salt lake city and lake placid, hosting the olympic games created exposure that still resonates.

With the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games having concluded in Tokyo, one of many questions about the Games’ legacy is whether the city will be able to benefit from having hosted two of the world’s biggest sporting events—including the second time for the Olympic Games.

Without sports, Tokyo has more than enough to boast about as a tourist destination. But when it comes to benefits from investment in the Games, one immediate plus for when people travel more frequently again is that Haneda Airport now has an expanded terminal for international visitors and a new train line that will reduce congestion for Japanese residents.

“The positive aspects of Tokyo 2020’s tourism legacy will offer no quick fix for the amount of investment that will be lost due to no international visitation and restricted domestic visitation,” said Ralph Hollister , a travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData. “However, it offers benefits for Japan in the long-term, and will assist the nation by creating a more robust and varied tourism product for future years.”

Aside from infrastructure investments, the city may yet benefit from a sporting perspective. “When bidding for future events, Japan’s case will now be strengthened with these new facilities,” Hollister said.

Still, there are many other previous hosts that could have felt that way when the athletes left town and now, instead, have white elephant venues sitting unused with no international festivals or events on the schedule.

For the four U.S. markets that have hosted either the Olympic Summer or Winter Games in modern history, what happened after the Games were gone have provided a variety of lessons. From establishing legacies to expanding their sporting reputations, each destination is still able to capitalize on the status of having hosted the world.

Leaving a Legacy While Looking to Future

When Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Summer Games, it will join Paris and London as the only cities to have hosted three times. But Los Angeles remains the standout among perhaps any Olympic Summer Games host not only for what it did in 1984 in delivering record profits and bringing commercialism to the Games for the first time, but what it has done afterward with LA84 Foundation — a nonprofit institution created to manage Southern California’s endowment from the 1984 Olympic Games that at the time was groundbreaking in its inception.

“It’s such a great story,” said Kathyrn Schloessman , president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission . “It’s a story for us in telling what major events do for a city and we can point to a specific example. … I think (LA84) sets the bar pretty high on the expectations for what needs to be delivered after a major event. You’re talking about a $160 million surplus from those Games that is still alive and well and being invested in youth sports in our community almost 40 years later.”

Between so many of the 1984 venues still in use and plenty of new venues in the competitive Los Angeles market, the 2028 Games will in many ways be the crowning summer of a run of major events in the city that few destinations could dream of hosting. Los Angeles is scheduled to host the 2022 Super Bowl, the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game, 2023 WrestleMania and is expected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“What we’ve been telling everybody as we’ve been coming out of this pandemic the past few months, this run that we have during a six-year period is an incredible opportunity to showcase our city in a time where it’s so important to be able to do that, now more than ever because of what (COVID) did to the hospitality industry,” Schloessman said. “Having the Olympics to look forward to is such a great, ultimate North Star at the end of this whole thing to build toward. The Olympics are No. 1 in the world in terms of visibility. Being a future Olympic host city in 2028, it’s giving us a media platform. It just adds a level of excitement about our city.”

The Start of a Big-Event Run

When Atlanta won the bid to host the centennial 1996 Olympic Summer Games , it put the city on a bigger stage than ever before.

“It was the beginning of our buildup as a big sports-event hosting destination,” said Atlanta Sports Council President Dan Corso . “It paved the way to showing that our city and our state was capable of, and putting on an event of that size gave us the confidence that we could do anything.”

Four years after hosting the Games, the Super Bowl came to town. The city has since become home for the Southeastern Conference football championship game, the 2020 Super Bowl and three NCAA Men’s Final Fours, plus one NCAA Women’s Final Four.

“I think coming off the momentum of the Olympics helped in those bids,” Corso said. “Twenty-five years removed from it, it’s certainly part of our narrative as for our event hosting experience.”

Corso also said the Games’ legacy continues in every major event the city hosts in another way; there are volunteers that first helped at the 1996 Games that still help at major events. Multiple venues are still in use, including the Centennial Olympic Park that Corso is able to see every day from his office downtown.

“I’m seeing people walking around and taking photos of the (Olympic) rings right now,” he said earlier this summer. “We hold public fan fests and concerts in that venue when we host the Super Bowl or Final Four. It’s part of our pitch for the FIFA World Cup to use that location as our fan festival site. Centennial Olympic Park is really that epicenter of our downtown championship campus and is utilized on a daily basis.”

Memories of the 1996 Games were even stronger this year as the 25th anniversary came around. Atlanta’s Games were marred by a domestic terrorism event in the Centennial Olympic Park but may now be known as much for the groundbreaking success of U.S. women’s athletes in both team and individual sports.

“It’s part of our history,” Corso said. “We had the 2003 Women’s Final Four, we’ve had a women’s professional soccer team, we’re now home to the (WNBA’s) Atlanta Dream and have multiple colleges and universities and HBCUs surrounding metro Atlanta that put an emphasis on women’s sports. That’s part of our lasting legacy of the ’96 Games.”

Expanding Into Year-Round Hosting

The 2002 Olympic Winter Games has been called by many around Salt Lake City as the region’s coming-out party on the world stage. Since that moment nearly 20 years ago, the region has continued to be a winter sports haven with U.S. Ski & Snowboard now located in Park City and international events regularly held in Park City and speedskating events at the Olympic Oval in Kearns.

The bigger boost the state has gotten, said  Utah Sports Commission President Jeff Robbins , has been the impetus to make the region into a year-round sports destination. Robbins said the commission has helped attract about 900 events since the 2002 Games — about 250 of them being Olympic-related events but many others in sports such as soccer, volleyball, climbing and weightlifting.

“Since the Games, we’ve evolved and made a name for ourselves,” Robbins said. “We’ll always be known as a Winter Olympic host but we’ve had a lot of success in evolving into a year-round sports destination.”

The region has been able to bring in events not only because of Rice-Eccles Stadium, site of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies that has since been a regular stop for motocross events, but everything from major international soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium to the new skatepark at the state fairgrounds, which opened in late August with the Street League Skateboarding tour as well as the inaugural Tony Hawk Vert Alert.

“Having that platform gives you the ability to go out in the marketplace and it gives you a certain level of credibility,” Robbins said. “We’ve done so many different things in the marketplace since that we have a reputation now not just from the Olympics, but for everything else we’ve been doing. … It used to be that the Olympics was the piece. Now, the Olympics are a piece of the sports infrastructure here.”

And, potentially, the Olympics will be part of Salt Lake’s future as the city is seeking to host again in 2030 or 2034.

No Miracle That They Still Remember

In terms of pure sporting memories, there may be no more famous Olympics in U.S. history than the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York, thanks to the “Miracle on Ice.”

And still 40-plus years later, the Lake Placid Convention & Visitors Bureau’s venue tracking shows that the Games remain a top reason tourists visit — to step into the arena where the U.S. beat the Soviet Union: “The association with the Olympic Games, it’s ongoing and it’s continual,” said CVB President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McKenna .

Lake Placid is also preparing to host the 2023 World University Winter Games , which will bring 1,600 athletes from around the world. As part of the preparations, U.S. athletes in luge, bobsled and skeleton can take advantage of a new ice house at Mount Van Hoevenberg and the speedskating rink is getting a complete makeover.

“If we didn’t have the 1980 Olympics, we probably wouldn’t have the World University Games in 2023,” McKenna said. “It was identified as a realistic multi-sport winter event that we could host and it would allow us to really look at our sports venues, bring them up to and beyond international standards, and be a catalyst for community housing and community infrastructure.”

Lake Placid has also gotten invaluable networking and information through the World Union of Olympic Cities, which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, “where the community of Lake Placid with a population of 8,000 can be in the same conversation with London,” McKenna said. Being part of the group helped Lake Placid focus the past three years on revitalizing the existing 1980 venues with just under $500 million invested by New York state. A recent tour of the sliding, biathlon and skiing areas left International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation President Ivo Ferriani and USA Biathlon Chief Executive Officer Max Cobb wowed, McKenna said.

“Our door is being knocked on for all the winter sports now,” McKenna said. “The Olympic legacy as a winter sports destination has allowed us to position ourselves not only currently for success in the world of winter sports competition but more importantly in the future.”

Share this:

Follow us on twitter.

SportsTravel Follow

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events. Producers of the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

The Lansing Sports Commission has hired Taylor McKay as its new sports development manager. McKay will develop and maintain relationships with sports rights holders, NGBs and the local community to solicit, secure and create sporting events for the region.

.@WWE, in partnership with @MNSportsEvents, has announced that Minneapolis will host WWE SummerSlam over two nights on August 1–2, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium.

.@bassmaster officials attended a press conference earlier this week with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who proclaimed May 19–25 as South Carolina Travel and Tourism Week.

PODCAST: In this edition of the SportsTravel podcast, John David, @Sports_ETA president and CEO, and Greg Pepitone from Tourism Economics talk about the headline numbers in the State of the Industry Report.

sportstravel

Recent Podcasts

Skip Gilbert: The State of Youth Soccer

The $52.2 Billion Case for Sports-Related Travel

Death Diving: The Latest Sport Making a Splash

Ron Price: Visit Phoenix’s Big Basketball Push

Since 1997, SportsTravel magazine has served the sports‐related travel and event industry. It is the only publication written and designed to serve the people who organize, manage and host sporting events of all types at all levels.

• Subscribe to E-Newsletter
• Advertise With Us
• Editorial Calendar
• Sponsored Content

NORTHSTAR TRAVEL MEDIA SITES

• Northstar Meetings Group
• Meetings & Conventions
• Meetings & Conventions Asia
• Meetings & Conventions China
• Successful Meetings
• Meeting News
• Retail Travel
• Travel Technology
• Corporate Travel
• Hotel Investment
• Data Products
• See All Northstar Brands

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

The First World Sports Tourism Congress: the Role of Sport for Tourism Recovery and its Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

• All Regions
• 26 Nov 2021

Renowned experts and academics in sports tourism debated over two days on current and future trends in the sector and underlined the key role of sport for the development of a more sustainable and inclusive tourism.

The first edition of the World Sports Tourism Congress (25-26 November, Lloret de Mar, Spain) focused on the unique capacity of the sector to promote sustainable and inclusive development, diversification and public-private partnership. The Congress was organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Catalan Tourism Agency (ACT), an Affiliate Member of the UNWTO.

An encouraging example is the gradual return of major sporting events, which is a major driver of the restart of tourism

At the opening ceremony, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili declared that the holding of this Congress, with a strong in-person participation, is a clear message that the tourism sector is ready to welcome tourists again, and the recovery of sports tourism plays an important role.

Pololikashvili added: "An encouraging example is the gradual return of major sporting events, which is a major driver of the restart of tourism."

For his part, the Minister for Business and Labour of the Regional Government of Catalonia, Roger Torrent, stressed that " this Congress can give rise to ideas that allow progress towards a more responsible and sustainable tourism thanks to diversification, differentiation and de-seasonalization ". In addition, he stated that tourism, and in particular sports tourism, can offer economic, employment and social opportunities that must be harnessed.

The Congress was attended in person by some   350 participants, and more than 150 followed it online. The most immediate challenges were discussed throughout the first day, ranging from the impact of COVID-19 and current trends in tourism demand and in the tourism market, to trends in sports, innovation in major sporting events, diversity and inclusion, and public-private governance strategies.

Looking to the future, the second day focused on the digital transformation of the sector and the phenomenon of e-sports, the promotion of digital marketing, the environmental framework and new research in the sector.

One of the most innovative aspects that the Congress brought was the deployment of two hologram booths in the proceedings  in order to have the participation of speakers who could not attend in person.

Work on Tourism and Sports is among the priorities of the UNWTO, especially in view of the necessary recovery of the sector in general.

The Congress featured more than 50 speakers--more than half of them in person--from Canada, Croatia, the United States, Spain, France, Wales, Italy and South Africa, among others. Among the speakers were prominent figures with recognized experience in the sports and tourism sectors, representing entities that are also UNWTO Affiliate Members such as Lavonne Wittmann, President of Skal International; Sonto Mayise, General Director of Tourism Kwazulu-Natal; Luis Valente, Head of Partnerships and Information at the FC Oporto Museum; Paraskevi Patoulidou, President of Thessaloniki Tourism Organization; Kattia Juarez-Dubón, Director of the International Sustainability Commission of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), and Lisa Delpy Neirotti, professor at George Washington University.

Related links:

• Download the news release in PDF
• World Sports Tourism Congress
• Sports Tourism
• Affiliate Members

Category tags

Related content, un tourism welcomes 39 new affiliate members, unwto’s affiliate members advance public-private cooper..., unwto partners with aviareps to launch destination mark..., cultural tourism management the focus as unwto and comu....

What Is Sports Tourism?

Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life

There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the travel industry about “gig-tripping,” as fans of Taylor Swift and other musical artists plan vacations all around the world just for the live concert experience.

Meanwhile, another experience-driven trend is also on the rise: sports tourism. Whether you’re an athlete yourself or just a big fan, you might want to consider this approach to travel.

So what exactly is sports tourism, and what does it involve? Below, industry experts break down the benefits and downsides.

What is sports tourism?

“‘Sports tourism’ refers to when individuals plan their travel tied to specific sporting events, typically to spectate but, depending on the event, it could include participation as well,” said Carolyn Addison, the head of product at travel company Black Tomato . “Some of the classic examples are the Olympics and we’ve often seen this type of travel for events like F1 [Formula One racing] or the Tour de France.”

Sports tourism can sometimes involve venturing to a different city to watch a regular-season away game for your favorite team. Or you might travel to participate in your own athletic endeavor, like a marathon or team competition.

“Sports tourism ranges all the way from youth sports to professional leagues,” said Nate Hardesty, the managing director of the Thompson Austin and Tommie Austin hotels in Texas. “For instance, we see so many families traveling around the country for tournaments that it’s become their spring break or summer trip. The same goes for collegiate and professional sports. We see so many fans follow their teams around the country and take the opportunity to check out the destination while they are here.”

If you live in a popular sports market, it might be easier to get good tickets to your team’s away game in another city. Some people also just like to merge their love of travel and sports into one experience.

Although taking a trip for a sporting event is not a brand-new phenomenon, more fans seem eager to have these kinds of experiences after being forced to stay at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People have been traveling for sports for years,” Hardesty noted. “However, experiential tourism has skyrocketed post-COVID.”

The popularity of shows like “Formula 1: Drive To Survive,” which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the world of auto racing, and “Welcome to Wrexham,” a docuseries about a Welsh soccer team, has also sparked greater interest in professional sports experiences.

The sports documentary movement has now expanded to golf with “Full Swing,” as well as to football with “Quarterback.” And with the buzz around the new sports drama “Challengers,” perhaps we’ll see more travelers planning trips around big tennis tournaments.

What are the benefits?

“We find that planning a trip around a sporting event gives a nice framework and intention to an itinerary,” Addison said. “Special events can also be a compelling way to interact with locals in a way that feels spontaneous and unforced.”

She pointed to the powerful energy in crowds at big events and the opportunity to bond with people who have similar interests. Sports tourism might take you to an exciting destination you wouldn’t have otherwise visited.

“You’re crafting your trip around a pivotal core memory and occasion which is supplemented by other local attractions, creating a comprehensive travel experience,” added Nikki Glass, the general manager at The Sawyer in Sacramento, California.

She noted that many sports tourism destinations have made efforts to ramp up various attractions and offerings around sporting events to give fans a multifaceted travel experience.

“These travelers tend to stay in their destination for extended periods to immerse themselves in the cultural tapestry and urban milieu, from vibrant dining scenes to museums and green spaces,” Glass said. “Sports tourists are tapping into it all.”

What are the downsides?

“There can be some additional challenges around planning travel during a major event,” Addison said. “Crowds and traffic can make the overall travel experience less enjoyable, and properties often impose higher rates and/or longer minimum stays.”

She emphasized the importance of advance planning to secure hotel reservations, airfare and tickets for sporting events.

“Sometimes the availability will be tight, and you need to book as soon as you can to get the best available rate,” echoed Lisa Bush, the director of sales and marketing at Thompson Nashville in Tennessee. “The last-minute booker usually learns that procrastination is not the best.”

Expect longer wait times and higher costs for things like accommodation and transportation. If you plan a trip based around sports tourism, you might find yourself in overcrowded areas that aren’t always equipped to deal with a surge of people. And you may have to put in extra effort to get an authentic local experience during times when so many tourists have taken over a destination.

Popular in the Community

From our partner, huffpost shopping’s best finds, more in life.

What is Sports Tourism?

Last Updated on May 11, 2023

Sports tourism is the act of travelling for the sake of either participating or viewing sports, and the management and marketing of sports to attract tourism for commercial means. Dr Paul Symonds

Many definitions fail to give consideration to the perspective being looked at in sports tourism.

These definitions fail to include, for example, how the term is viewed from the perspective of a destination, a marketing company, an airline and so on.

Sports tourism, in other words, refers not only to the sports tourist, but also the industry that provides and facilitates this form of tourism.

Sports tourism can have an incredibly wide impact on so many stakeholders in sports and in tourism and this is all discussed below, as we analyse what sports tourism is.

Table of Contents

Sports Tourism Examples

There are numerous sports tourism examples but let me give you a few:

• Spectator : Travelling across the USA to attend the Super Bowl
• Participant : Travelling to take part in the Honolulu Marathon
• Destination : Creating the infrastructure and marketing yourself as a destination in order to be awarded the Olympic Games.
• Spectator : Going from the UK to Barcelona to watch an FC Barcelona game at the Nou Camp Stadium .
• Tourist: Travelling to Japan to see the Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo
• Participant : Going on a cycling holiday in France with friends
• Organisation : A local tourism board helping to market the Sydney Marathon, in Australia.
• Services : An airline laying on special extra flights to transport fans to an international football (soccer) game such as for the Champions League Final.

Sports Tourism Ontology

Depending on the perspective you have, sports tourism and its importance can mean different things.

We can use the term ‘Sports tourism ontology’ to express our outlook (viewpoint or perspective) and to define what sports tourism is for different stakeholders.

As you can see in the diagram above and from the sports tourism examples we listed in the bullet list above, sports tourism can be viewed from differing perspectives.

What Different Types of Sports Tourism Tourists are there?

When it comes to defining exactly what a sports tourist (rather than tourism is) , there are various definitions that exist and these definitions are often debated by academics.

Some of the main ways of classifying sports tourists though are as follows.

1. Active Sports Tourism

This refers to those who travel and stay away overnight and who participate in sports themselves.

Examples of this are people who travel from:

• The UK to take part in the New York Marathon
• Australia to Spain for a golfing holiday
• China to Spain for a sports fishing holiday

2. Sports Events Tourism

Rather than travelling for actively participating and taking part in sporting activities, sports event tourism refers to when you travel in order to watch a sporting event.

Examples of this include travelling to watch the:

• Kentucky Derby
• World Snooker Championships
• Brazilian F1 Grand Prix
• French Open Tennis tournament

3. Nostalgia Sports Tourism

This form of tourism refers to travelling to famous sports-related attractions including Hall of Fames, famous stadia, and sporting museums.

Some great examples include the:

• FIFA Football Museum in Zurich, Switzerland
• Chicago Sports Museum , USA
• Liverpool Anfield Stadium Tours , England
• American Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, USA
• Australian Sports Museum in Melbourne, Australia
• Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada
• Museum of Sport and Tourism in Warsaw, Poland

Case Study: Barcelona 1992 Olympics and Sports Tourism

Let’s take the example of the city of Barcelona in Spain .

Barcelona held the 1992 Summer Olympics but to do this, the city of Barcelona spent a reported USD$7 billion in order to win the right to stage the games ( Time Magazine, 2016 ).

The city invested massive amounts of money to completely regenerate two miles of an industrial area that is now the beach area and the city used sports tourism as the vehicle to completely market, rebrand and reposition Barcelona.

The 6-year renovation project started in 1986 and needed to be finished (and it was) ready for the 1992 Olympics.

The Olympics, as one of the world’s most important sporting events, was used by the city of Barcelona as a springboard to attract investment, attract tourists, to brand the city, and to make the city well-known worldwide.

So, from the perspective of the decision-makers of the city of Barcelona in the 1980s, sports tourism can be defined as a vehicle for urban regeneration and destination marketing combined.

Sports tourism in another sense, in respect of the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, is represented by all of the tourists who visited the city during the Olympics to see the events and to be in the city to absorb the atmosphere.

Likewise, those who have since visited Barcelona and gone on the Olympics Stadium Tour, for example, can be classified as sports tourists.

It is worth also considering the massive entourage of TV crews and other media outlets who attend an event such as the 1992 Olympics.

Whilst these media personnel are there for the sake of work, outside of work hours these staff, in essence, often become sporting tourists as they go sightseeing in the city and use the restaurants, visit the museums and so on.

By default, these people who are in the city to temporarily work, become a part of the sports tourism phenomena in the city during the event.

For the airlines , such events mean an opportunity to increase the number of flights to and from Barcelona, whilst often being able to raise prices and profit from sports tourism in a commercial sense.

For local transport providers such as taxi drivers, airport limousine service providers and local tourist guides, the Olympics also provided a benefit.

As you can see from this example of the Barcelona Olympics, sports tourism has a broad reach and can benefit a significant number of stakeholders.

How Sports Tourism Contributes to Economic Growth and Statistics

As we have seen from the Barcelona Olympics example above, sports tourism can have a dramatic impact economically on a city, region, country or at a venue level.

Research suggests that worldwide, by 2027, global income as a result of sports tourism will be USD$14.4 trillion dollars (so about GBP£10 trillion pounds).

This form of tourism is continually growing and being seen by stakeholders at all levels (events organisers, venue owners, local councils and governments, etc.) as being a potential opportunity to develop infrastructure and income.

The reality is that measuring the economic impact and benefits of sports tourism is extremely hard, given that there are what are known as soft and hard benefits.

The expression ‘soft benefits’ refers to indirect benefits.

An example of this can be the Cricket World Cup being held in Auckland, New Zealand, and, as a result, local food vendors such as hot dog sellers benefit.

Another way of viewing soft benefits in relation to sports tourism that is also often used is to group non-major events under the umbrella of soft events.

So, travelling to Spain to play golf, go road cycling in the Alps, or going on a hiking holiday would be seen as soft events.

Events such as a formula Grand Prix, a major league baseball game, the Olympics (i.e. major events) would be considered ‘hard events’.

‘Hard benefits’ refer to the direct benefits.

An example of a hard benefit can be the income generated from flights laid on specifically for transporting sports fans to a specific event such as the Olympics or for a major football (soccer) tournament.

How Far Do You Have to Travel for It to Be Sports Tourism

A question that is often asked by students of sports tourism, is what constitutes tourism.

In other words, how far do you have to travel for something to be considered tourism?

If you travel to the next city to where you live for the sake of sports, are you a sports tourist?

The best way to understand whether or not a journey should be classified as tourism is to ask whether or not the trip meets two requirements:

• Was the trip taken outside of your local area
• Did the trip require an overnight stay?

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) provide a definition here of tourism as:

tourist (or overnight visitor) if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise. UNWTO (2008)

For sports tourism, thus we are looking at a trip to another place that includes an overnight stay and that is for the sake of some purpose related to or includes some relation to sports.

What Is a Sport Tourist

So a sports tourist could, for example, be someone:

• travelling abroad to go on a walking holiday in Italy
• heading to the ski slopes for a week of skiing in Utah
• taking a trip for a few days to do the Wembley Stadium tour and to watch a live Premiership match

What Are the Benefits and the Importance of Sports Tourism

The value of sports tourism lies in the ability to:

• generate significant levels of income
• create jobs and employment locally
• use the opportunity for destination marketing
• use the generated income for the regeneration of an area and to improve the local infrastructure

What Are the Issues and Disadvantages?

There can also be issues that arise from sports tourism, much in the same way that other forms of tourism also can cause issues and conflicts.

As you can imagine, large numbers of people arriving in a destination for a major sports event can cause conflicts for the locals. The following can be a result of both tourism and sports tourism:

• Overburden over the local resources including transport and resources such as water
• Overcrowding, safety and security issues
• Noise pollution
• Increase in waste and litter

Unlike general tourism, in the case of sports event tourism, it can mean a significant rise in visitor numbers but for a short specific period of time.

This might, for example, be for a one-off major event such as the Super Bowl (American Football), FA Cup Final (English football), or Kentucky Derby (Horse racing).

Alternatively, the event might be for a few days, weeks or a month, such as for the Summer Olympics, Football World Cup, or the Winter Olympics.

For the one-day events, solutions can include:

• extra policing
• extra rubbish (garbage) collection provision,
• provision of human helpers (for providing directions and guidance)
• extra transportation for the event

For longer sporting events solutions can additionally include:

• infrastructure improvements or moderations
• strategic plan to work and coordinate planning with the locals

What Sports Tourism Tour Operators Are There?

We have written a separate post on the best sports tourism tour operators from around the world to visit major events worldwide.

The form you have selected does not exist.

Related posts:

Hi there! I’m Paul and I’m the owner of Symonds Sports. I’m a sports fanatic who travels worldwide to see major sports events and I love seeing & trying sports in different countries. Thank you for visiting this site. More on me here..

Recent Posts

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links.

Youth and Amateur Sports Tourism Brings Economic Benefits to Local Economies

On any given weekend, thousands of young athletes across the nation utilize their talents in baseball, football, soccer, tennis, volleyball and pickleball, which is booming in popularity. Most of these events occur in complexes developed explicitly for amateur sports.

Since the 600-acre National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, launched in 1990, sports tourism has become an integral part of local economies. More families are traveling to out-of-town venues across the country for sports tournaments, races and events.

If you have been in an airport or hotel recently, there is a good chance you witnessed many groups of young athletes with travel gear attending out-of-town sporting events. These revenue-generating events result in families staying in hotels, eating at nearby restaurants, shopping at regional retailers and visiting local attractions. On average, families spend $700 to $1,000 a month on youth sports.

A Multibillion-Dollar Industry

According to the Sports Business Journal , youth and amateur sport-specific venues have spurred more than $9 billion in spending since 2017. Local communities, private developers, visitors and convention bureaus and club sports teams are developing sporting venues that attract visitors to their communities. These projects generate a boost in the local economy. Enticing sports travelers to come to year-round multisport destinations has become a major source of competitions between communities.

The economic impact of amateur and youth sports tourism is staggering. According to the Sports Events and Tourism Association, $39.7 billion on the direct spending impact of amateur and youth sports tourism in 2021, generated a total economic impact of $91.8 billion , which resulted in the generation of 635,000 jobs and a total tax revenue of $12.9 billion for the local economies. In 2019, 179 million people traveled to out-of-town events. During the first COVID-19 year of 2020, travel decreased by 46 percent, but it quickly rebounded in 2021 by 53 percent to 175 million travelers.

Spending decreased in 2020 as travelers focused more on regional and local events. It rebounded quickly in 2021 but is still slightly below pre-COVID spending. In 2021, sports-related travel accounted for 66.5 million nights families spent in hotels. Travel is essential because hotel tax revenue finances many sporting venues across the country. Since 2005, the annual growth rate of amateur and youth sports tourism has been 5.9 percent. All these statistics point to accelerated growth within the industry.

The economic impact on local communities can be divided into three categories: direct, indirect and induced. Direct impact includes local spending at hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, transportation costs and entry fees. Indirect impact is defined as purchasing goods and services and the impact on the supply chain. Induced impact encompasses employee spending—either directly or indirectly associated with sports tourism.

Making the Right Investment

Communities joining the youth and amateur sports tourism fray need methodical research, planning and design to build facilities that will attract athletes on a national scale to their local athletic facility.

Majestic Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas , is one example of how this planning can succeed. Once the original spring training home for Major League Baseball, the ballfields fell to shambles after years of decay. With systematic planning from the Sports, Entertainment and Tourism (SET) group at Halff, an innovative five-field baseball/softball complex was designed and built to attract all levels of sports.

Many events have filled the calendar since Majestic Park’s opening in February 2022, including an NCAA Division II Baseball Conference Championship hosted by the Great American Conference. An $8.5 million bond investment from the “Spa City” has resulted in multiple weekends of economic gain for Hot Springs, which before had been nonexistent. Meticulous details and planning resulted in a highly praised facility for locals and visitors.

Funding Opportunities

Funding for the development of amateur and youth sports facilities comes from various sources. Many communities are using Hotel Occupancy Tax funding for the development of sports facilities.

In Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department provides funding through its Local Park Grant Program . Another source of revenue for developing sports facilities is municipal or county bonds and capital improvement program (CIP) funding. In Midland, a private 501(c)(3) charitable organization is helping fund the development of the Hogan Sports Complex. Soccer teams such as FC Dallas and the Sting Soccer Club are investing in the development of sports facilities on municipal park sites.

Additionally, for-profit organizations such as Perfect Game and Big League Dreams are financially supporting the development of youth and amateur sports facilities.

Finding the Right Solution

SET experts at Halff can determine the best solution for your community. As municipalities across the Southeast continue to grow their youth and amateur sports facilities, we are helping them achieve these goals. Current projects include a 20-field soccer complex in Conway, Arkansas, the Primrose Park baseball complex in Fulshear, Texas, and the up to $55 million Hogan Sports Complex in Midland, Texas.

In addition to Majestic Park, other recently completed projects include the Softball World at Texas Star renovation in Euless, Texas, and the Blue Ridge Soccer Complex in Harris County, Texas.

By investing in youth and amateur sports, local communities  create tremendous economic opportunity and potentially boost local tourism. Reach out to the SET group to see what options it has to improve lives and communities by turning your ideas into reality.

Halff’s SET team can help you navigate funding opportunities and building options for your next project. Reach out to Sports, Entertainment and Tourism Leader David McCaskill, [email protected] , or Senior Landscape Architect/Project Manager Brian Binkowski, [email protected] .

Recent Stories

Halff’s Ramos Honored with SABJ Women’s Leadership Award

SAN ANTONIO — Halff Lead Client Advisor Jennifer Ramos was announced as a Women’s Leadership Award honoree by the San Antonio…

From Refugee to Engineer: Annie’s Story

Graduate Civil Engineer Annie Umuhoza joined Halff as an intern in September 2022 while pursuing her degree at the University…

tourism & city branding

Sport tourism: an ever-growing sector with high potential for cities.

Jul 3, 2021

Share this post

By Young Hoon Kim, Ph.D, Professor, Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management University of North Texas, USA, and John Nauright, Ph.D Dean, Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business Mount St. Mary’s University, Maryland, USA

Definition of sport tourism

As defined by Gibson (1998, p. 49), sport tourism is a “leisurebased travel that takes individuals temporarily outside of their home communities to participate and/or watch physical activities or to venerate attractions associated with physical activities”. Human beings are born to travel to fulfil their motivational needs and sports can be one of the reasons and tourism will be one of the ways to satisfy those leisure activities (e.g., trail with family or attending sport events). In theory, it is a naturally generated social phenomenon to satisfy human’s physical and psychological desire through travel or vice versa. Each domain (i.e., sports and tourism) is one of the most significant areas which impact our life from many perspectives, such as social, economy, political, and many more. In particular, Zauhar emphasised (2004, p.13), “the points of contact between sport and tourism have increased dramatically – the mutual benefits for both are quite perceptible and the relationships very compatible. In fact, the term ‘sports tourism’ has been coined to better understand the use of sport as a touristic endeavour”.

The impact of COVID-19 on the sport tourism industry

Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 has significantly impacted both sport and tourism industries. Since its original break in Wuhan, China on 21 December 2019, it led to the world pandemic declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11 March 2020. There was no way to stop this disaster and its global spread across every continent. Although our life has been getting better after vaccine and some medical treatment, it is still a question to get back to our “new” normal. The impact on global sports tourism and income from events has run into billions of dollars of lost revenue. The impact has been particularly hard for smaller scale events and lower-level leagues that do not have protection from significant television, streaming and advertising revenues. It is the key solution for major sport cities to get back to the “new” normal by recovering from the down-turn stage after being negatively impacted by COVID-19. However, it is a great opportunity for specific sport tourism sectors, such as e-sports and golf industry.

Role of cities in sport tourism

As Kim et al. (2018) pointed out in their research, “a destination brand with strong equity leads to greater commitment in the form of loyalty and willingness to revisit the destination” (p. 1196). Not only for its image developed by sports tourists but also it is critical to prepare the destinations (i.e., cities) for sustainable growth. While sport tourists select and look for a city (i.e., destination) to experience “unique” sport tourism components (e.g., physical activities or sport events), most cities are not primarily designed for sport tourism except some cases (Settimi, 2020). In addition, it is strongly recommended to partnership with educational institutions to maximise the outcomes as well as sustainable development for cities (i.e., destination) (Kim et al., 2018). The specific following suggestions can be emphasised for sport cities:

• Accessibility (e.g., transportation and highway access)

• Basic sports facilities

• Hotel and lodging facilities

• Local government (city) involvement

Sport tourism trends

Hosting of major events (spectators) is still a successful way for cities to develop their sport tourism strategy.

Sport tourism strategy will lead sport cities to the next level by approaching destination as a travel package or products which eventually increase the brand equity of destination. Thus, systematic recovery strategies are keenly needed to prevent from unexpected health-related disasters in the future (e.g., pandemic). In addition, foreseeing framework and business structure will help cities to prepare for next stage.

The development of active sport tourism should be looked at closely

Probably, the 2020 Olympics in Japan will be the best case for cities or city cluster to examine the critical cases how to react and follow up. The given lists below will be considered and discussed:

• Organise a special committee under the IOC to monitor,

• Require pre-examination systems to evaluate the current condition,

• Establish disaster-related control centre,

• Provide the stages and steps to react the outbreaks,

• Follow-up strategies to minimise the damages,

• Assess the post-Olympics, and

• Report and share the results to the public.

While global sport tourism has been damaged in the short term by the COVID-19 pandemic, immediate return of spectators and plans for new events and seasons suggests the upward trends of the latter 2010s will continue by 2022 and into 2023 and beyond. Regional events could become more important, as spectators do not travel as far. Cities and municipalities should consider the appropriate mix of major events and more local and recurrent events.

Kim, Y. H., Li, H., & Nauright, J. (2018). A destination development by building a brand image and sport event tourism: a case of Sport City USA. Sport in Society, 21(8), 1196-1203. Gibson, H. J. (1998). Sport tourism: A critical analysis of research. Sport Management Review, 1, 45-76. Settimi, C. 2020, July 17). America’s best sports cities 2020. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2020/07/17/ americas-best-sports-cities-2020/?sh=6c36d2bedaef Zauhar, J. (2004). Historical perspectives of sports tourism. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 9(1), 5-101.

To learn more

young hoon kim

john nauright

Related publication

Related articles

Sport Tourism – Aarhus, Denmark

“The mission of VisitAarhus is to develop tourism and promote the Aarhus region as a sustainable destination for holiday and business tourism.”

Interview with Gianpietro Ghedina, Mayor of Cortina d’Ampezzo

“Cortina is lucky to count on two tourist seasons, summer and winter, and sport is definitely the centre of our program.”

Kigali, Rwanda: Its dual strategic approach to sport tourism

“Hosting events and developing active sport tourism has raised Rwanda’s profile as a sport tourism destination.”

Ontario.ca needs JavaScript to function properly and provide you with a fast, stable experience.

To have a better experience, you need to:

• Go to your browser's settings
• Enable JavaScript

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Ministry of Sport

Supporting and delivering tourism and cultural experiences, and championing participation in sport and recreation activities across Ontario.

• Tourism regions
• Tourism research statistics
• Resource-based tourism
• Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model
• Tourism signs on Ontario’s roadways
• Public libraries
• Resources for artists
• Cultural media industries
• Cultural planning
• Sport and recreation
• Rowan’s Law : Concussion safety
• Provincial sport organizations and multi-sport organizations
• Sport Hosting Program
• Amateur combative sports
• Rules and regulations for professional combative sports

We help Ontario's economy and quality of life through strategic support and investment by:

• working with the tourism industry and regional tourism organizations to support businesses and attract international investment
• investing in festivals and events across the province
• promoting the arts and the creative economy
• funding public libraries and community museums
• supporting community projects and engagement
• promoting a culture that values sport and physical activity
• supporting growth of the sport sector through investments that increase tourism and provide athletes of all abilities and circumstances the opportunity to participate in sport at all levels
• Contact form
• Tel : 416-326-9326
• Toll-free: 1-888-997-9015
• TTY : 416-325-5807
• Toll-free TTY : 1-866-700-0040

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Ministry of Sport 6 th Floor, 438 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5G 2K8

• Employee directory
• Regional development advisors

Minister, media and news

• Contact the Minister
• Media contacts
• Ministry news

Agencies, boards and commissions

The ministry operates and manages the following historical attractions:

• Discovery Harbour
• Fort William Historical Park
• Sainte-Marie among the Hurons

The ministry oversees the following provincial agencies and provincially funded organizations:

• Art Gallery of Ontario
• Destination Ontario
• McMichael Canadian Art Collection
• Metro Toronto Convention Centre
• Niagara Parks Commission
• Ontario Arts Council
• Ontario Creates
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Ottawa Convention Centre
• Royal Botanical Gardens
• Royal Ontario Museum
• Science North
• St. Lawrence Parks Commission

Legislation

The ministry administers the following legislation:

• Ontario Heritage Act , in respect of clauses 70(1)(a) and (e) as they relate to museums
• Public Libraries Act
• Ontario Trails Act
• Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act, 2021 , responsibility for which, when it comes into force, will be shared with the Solicitor General
• Art Gallery of Ontario Act
• Arts Council Act, R.S.O.
• Athletics Control Act
• Combative Sports Act, 2019
• Community Recreation Centres Act
• Foreign Cultural Objects Immunity from Seizure Act, 2019
• George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art Act
• Historical Parks Act
• Hotel Registration of Guests Act
• Innkeepers Act
• Lawren Harris Day Act
• McMichael Canadian Art Collection Act, R.S.O.
• Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre Corporation Act
• Ministry of Citizenship and Culture Act , in respect of culture matters
• Ministry of Tourism and Recreation Act
• Niagara Parks Act
• Ontario Wine Week Act
• Ottawa Convention Centre Corporation Act
• Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie), 2019
• Rowan's Law (Concussion Safety), 2017
• Royal Botanical Gardens Act, 1989 (private act)
• Royal Ontario Museum Act
• Science North Act
• Special Hockey Day Act, 2018
• St. Lawrence Parks Commission Act
• Status of Ontario’s Artists Act

Indoor track facility, pickleball complex get Delaware tourism money

• The state's investment in these projects totals $11.3 million.
• The money comes from the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund established by last year's bond bill.
• The panel received 18 applications.

An indoor track facility in Wilmington, a pickleball complex in Rehoboth Beach and improvements to existing facilities in Red Lion and near Frederica are among the projects receiving the first round of money from Delaware to boost tourism through sporting events.

Drawing the largest amount — $6 million — is a plan to construct a multisport facility with an indoor track adjacent to the Chase Fieldhouse. The project would give Delaware's annual indoor track and field state meet a home within First State borders for the first time since 2014 and reduce the amount of time and money local teams spend traveling to meets throughout the winter.

It could also become one of the sport's primary destinations for large invitationals that would draw out-of-state athletes and their families to Delaware's hotels and restaurants, project organizers say. The facility would accommodate other sports such as wrestling and volleyball.

The nonprofit Indoor Track Delaware, which shared its conceptual plans and economic study for the facility in March 2021, has partnered with BPG Sports, which owns and operates the $30 million Chase Fieldhouse, which opened in 2019. The group had secured $13 million toward the estimated project costs of $23 million as of a May 6 review, according to the Delaware Business Times.

Midway Motion and Fitness, a fitness center behind the Movies at Midway on Derrickson Drive off Coastal Highway, will receive $2 million to construct a pickleball complex. With 12 indoor courts and four outdoor courts, the complex would be built to the requirements of the American Pickleball Association to be able to host at least five sanctioned tournaments each year. It would be the first facility of its kind in Delaware.

DE Turf, the turf field complex on Route 1 south of Frederica, will receive $3 million for improvements that will allow it to host larger regional and national tournaments. The facility currently hosts a number of high-level field hockey, lacrosse and soccer tournaments throughout the year, in addition to local sporting events.

The planned improvements include increasing the seating capacity of the facility's stadium field from 1,000 to 3,000 seats and building additional amenities to allow the facility to host banquets and corporate events. DE Turf has received more than $4 million in taxpayer grants.

Board chairman Bill Strickland told the panel reviewing DE Turf's application that the planned improvements would improve the complex's economic impact, according to market researcher Rockport Analytics. Strickland said the changes will allow DE Turf to stay ahead of competitors, including a potential facility in Ocean City, Maryland, according to meeting minutes .

PREVIOUS REPORTING: DE Turf has attracted some of the nation's top travel sports tournaments. What's next?

STATS Tournaments will receive $300,000 for their baseball and softball facility on Wrangle Hill Road in Red Lion near Route 1. STATS will use the money to install stadium lights at two of its fields and to build another baseball field and softball field.

Where is the money coming from?

The state's investment in these projects totals $11.3 million. It all comes from the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund established by last year's bond bill, the legislation that assigns single-year spending. State legislators see tourism through travel sports as a growth area for Delaware's economy. Gov. John Carney has recommended the fund receive $6 million next year.

"We created this fund to ensure our facilities can continue to attract top sporting events throughout the year as the sports tourism industry grows," Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Bellefonte, one of eight panelists who reviewed sports tourism fund applications and selected the winning proposals, said in a statement. "By providing financial support to these facilities, we can make certain that sporting event operators keep Delaware top of mind when looking for locations for their tournaments and other competitions."

The panel, composed of representatives of the Delaware Tourism Office and tourism offices focused on Wilmington, Kent County and southern Delaware, and the co-chairs of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee (Heffernan and Sen. Jack Walsh), received 18 applications.

Denied projects include a proposed multisport, indoor facility in Kent County; an ice arena in Dover for the Delaware Thunder professional hockey club; an eight-lane track at Sussex Academy; and improvements at the Hockessin Soccer Club, Georgetown's Sports at the Beach and Sandhill Fields and the University of Delaware's softball facility.

Brandon Holveck reports on high school sports for The News Journal. Contact him at  [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

WNBA to interview Las Vegas tourism leader Tuesday regarding sponsorship offer to Aces players

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon calls out to players during the first half of an WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after making a basket against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

• Copy Link copied

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas tourism chief Steve Hill said he will interview Tuesday with the lead investigator who is examining whether WNBA rules were broken when sponsorship deals were offered last month to Las Vegas Aces players.

Hill announced to the players on May 18 they would each receive a $100,000 sponsorship each of the next two years from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The WNBA hired a law firm, Kobre & Kim, to investigate whether the league’s salary-cap rules were circumvented. Founding partner Steven Kobre heads the investigation.

The sponsorship money is more than the average annual value of five Aces players contracts, according to Spotrac.

Hill, CEO and President of the LVCVA, said Monday the authority did everything according to the WNBA’s policies, including working independently of the Aces to arrange the sponsorship agreements. He said “a handful of” contract drafts sent to player agents have been signed.

“We made a commitment to the players and we’re going to follow through on that,” Hill said. “We have not done anything wrong. (The players) have every right to sign a sponsorship agreement. This is a legitimate sponsorship agreement. ... We’ve taped all the players and broadcast their image, so we owe them for that. That’s the first deliverable in the deal, so we are moving forward.”

He said the authority did alert the team it planned to offer sponsorships to the players, but did not divulge the details.

Before moving forward, Hill said the Aces informed the LVCVA that it would have to sponsor the team first in order to receive the rights to use the club logo and other properties in any promotional materials. The LVCVA has similar agreements with the NFL’s Raiders and NHL’s Golden Knights, Hill said.

Also, the authority asked the Aces permission to gain access to the locker room to tell the players the news, but that no details were provided other than a sponsorship proposal would be offered. The Aces have said they had no knowledge of the specifics.

Hill said he wasn’t aware of any rules barring the LVCVA from working with the two-time defending champion Aces to set up the announcement that was videotaped and promoted by the authority.

“That’s just a logistics thing,” Hill said.

Hill said under terms that each player receives $25,000 a month, and players who are released or added to the roster would receive money on a prorated basis. Each sponsorship agreement includes four components — the video from the locker room as a promotional tool, a team photo, public appearances and uses of name, image and likeness.

“We’re in the process of working through that with each of the agents,” Hill said.

This isn’t the first time the WNBA has investigated the Aces.

Last year, the WNBA suspended coach Becky Hammon for two games and took away the Aces’ 2025 first-round draft pick because it determined the franchise violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.

Hill said he didn’t know where the WNBA’s investigation stood into the sponsorships matter.

“We think this is a very positive step for the team, the league,” Hill said. “We hope we’re raising the bar. We hope that we are maybe opening some minds to the value that has been kind of locked up that we’re trying to unlock with all these players.

“I get completely and understand the need for the league to ask questions. Really the only thing I think the league has said is that they are opening an investigation, which has kind of an ominous tone to the word. I don’t know that they mean it that way or not. I hope not. I think after they investigate, they’re going to say, ‘You know, completely following the rules here and wow, this could be a good thing.’ So, hopefully, they embrace it.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Official websites use .boston.gov

A .boston.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the City of Boston.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Dear Summer Mixtape

The City of Boston is proud to announce Volume 2 of the City Wide Dear Summer Mixtape, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting our talented local artists.

Introducing the eagerly awaited follow-up to Boston's beloved inaugural Dear Summer mixtape. Mayor Michelle Wu and the City's Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment Office proudly present Dear Summer Vol. 2! Building on the success of its predecessor, this latest installment continues to showcase the rich tapestry of musical talent thriving in the Greater Boston Area.

With an eclectic selection of handpicked tracks, Dear Summer Vol. 2 invites listeners on a sonic journey through the diverse sounds that define our city's cultural landscape. From soul-stirring ballads to infectious beats, each song is a testament to the creativity and passion of Boston's homegrown artists.

As we embrace the spirit of community and celebration, this annual collaboration serves as a beacon of unity, bringing together residents and families from every corner of Boston. Join us in experiencing the vibrancy and vitality of our city's music scene with Dear Summer Vol. 2, a soundtrack for the season and a celebration of Boston's enduring legacy of artistic excellence   

Listen to Volume 2

Listen to the Dear Summer Mixtape Volume 2 on Spotify.

Apple Music

Listen to Summer Mixtape Volume 2 on Apple Music

Artists and DJs

• DJ Knszwrth    
• DJ Guru Sanaal
• DJ Cammy V  
• Blue Light Bandits
• Fabiola Mendez
• Jill McCracken
• Julia Chisholm 
• Leo the Kind
• Najee Janey
• Uche Malik 
• Zola Simone 

Previous Mixtapes

Listen to Volume 1:

Participating djs include : .

• Baby Indiglo, DJ based in Randolph
• Braunski Beat, DJ based in South End
• DJ Papadon, DJ based in Roxbury
• DJ Slick Vick, DJ based in Dorchester
• ReaL P, DJ based in Roxbury
• SNAX, DJ based in Roslindale

Participating artists include :

• $ean Wire, Hip-Hop / R&B artist based in Roxbury
• Alisa Amador, Folk artist based in Cambridge
• Amadeezy, Dance/Electronic artist based in Mattapan
• Avenue, Hip-Hop artist based in South End
• Gogo., Hip-Hop/Afrobeats/Dance artist based in Cambridge
• Kei, Hip-Hop artist based in Dorchester
• Mint Green, Rock artist based in Dorchester
• Miranda Rae, R&B artist based in Roxbury
• Oompa, Hip-Hop artist based in Roxbury
• Radical One, Latin/Dance artist based in Roslindale
• Rilla Force, Electronic Artist based in Stoughton
• The Elovaters, Alternative/Reggae artist based in South Shore
• Tokyo Tramps, Blues/Rock artist based in Fenway
• ToriTori, R&B artist based in Dorchester
• UgoBoy, Afrobeats artist based in Randolph
• Vintage Lee, Hip-Hop artist based in Roxbury
• Wayup Rui, Afrobeats artist based in Roxbury

Who's Involved: