sport tourism activities

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Product development.

• Rural tourism
• Gastronomy and Wine Tourism
• Mountain Tourism
• Urban Tourism

Sports Tourism

• Shopping Tourism

share this content

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

What it is : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Why it Matters : Sports tourism is a fundamental axis, generating around 10% of the world’s expenditure on tourism. It has an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023-2030, moving masses intra and intercontinentally. Sports tourism can promote social, economic and environmental action, it accelerates development and can leave a long-lasting positive legacy.

Sports and Tourism are interrelated and complementary. Today, sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism. More and more tourists are interested in sport activities during their trips whether sports are the main objective of travel or not. Sport events of various kinds and sizes attract tourists as participants or spectators and destinations try to add local flavours to them to distinguish themselves and provide authentic local experiences. Mega sport events such as the Olympics and World Cups can be a catalyst for tourism development if successfully leveraged in terms of destination branding, infrastructure development and other economic and social benefits.

Sports Tourism Events

1 st World Sports Tourism Congress

2 nd World Sports Tourism Congress

UN Tourism International Conference on Tourism and Sports

UN Tourism / South Africa International Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega-events

UPCOMING SPORTS TOURISM EVENTS

3 rd World Sports Tourism Congress (more information coming soon)

UN TOURISM PUBLICATIONS ON SPORTS TOURISM

Sport & Tourism

Sport and Tourism are two driving forces for the promotion and sustainable economic development of tourism destinations. To better understand the links between tourism and sport and to increase the awareness of the benefits of their joint contributions, UN Tourism and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) jointly organized the First World Conference on Sport and Tourism in Barcelona on 22-23 February 2001. This publication contains the studies prepared for the Conference as well as the speeches delivered there.

Sport Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Tourism can contribute to sustainable development and the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This overview illustrates how sport tourism can contribute to the SDGs and what needs to be considered when developing sport tourism to ensure its contribution to sustainable development. The comparative strength of sport tourism lies in: Engagement in physical activities; Opportunities for interactions; and High development potential almost anywhere. Thanks to these characteristics, sport tourism can play an important role in achieving various SDGs if developed with consideration.

Maximizing the Benefits of Mega Events for Tourism Development

A mega event benefits a host destination in terms of attracting visitors to the event and drawing global attention to the destination. However, in addition to such short-term benefits, it can be a catalyst for longer-term tourism development in various aspects from economic to social. This publication on Maximizing the Benefits of Mega Events for Tourism Development provides practical references on what a host destination can do to fully leverage the event opportunity for tourism development with a variety of illustrative cases. Although the report refers to insights from mega events, the practical references can be applied to any scale of events in any destination.

Walking Tourism – Promoting Regional Development

Walking tourism is now one of the most popular ways to experience a destination. It allows tourists to better engage with local people, nature and culture. It also meets the growing demand of travellers of outdoor activities in general, including when they travel. Walking tourism can be developed anywhere as a sustainable tourism offer with a relatively small investment. It can bring about social and economic benefits to residents and communities if properly developed and managed. This report showcases various successful examples of walking tourism and aims to serve as a practical reference for destinations with a focus on the role of walking tourism in regional development.

Sports Tourism in Latin America

Tourism and sport are key cultural elements of today’s world and have significant impact on modern society and international tourism. With this in mind, the WTO has carried out a new study aimed at providing a more complete analysis of the role that sports tourism and sports in general among the products offered in Latin America by European tour operators and tourism websites.

Sport and Tourism – Introductory Report

Sport and Tourism have a major socio-economic impact, appreciated in most civilian societies and increasingly recognized by governments. This is one of the many conclusions of this report which was prepared for the First World Conference on Sport and Tourism jointly organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WTO.After developing a theoretical framework for the system of Sport and Tourism and analysing the future trends of sport and sports tourism this report looks at the different socio-economic impacts of sport and tourism and how they can be managed best.

Sport Activities during the Outbound Holidays of the Germans, the Dutch & the French

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prepared this study on the level and characteristics of the sport activities engaged in during holidays abroad. Germany, the Netherlands and France were chosen for this study. These countries ranked among the leaders in terms of international tourism expenditure in 1999. Even though this study does not cover all the major generating markets, we are sure that it gives a clear picture of the importance of sport activities in tourism, and it makes many suggestions. This study also deals with many practical aspects, e.g.: length of stay, expenditure, seasonal demand, booking patterns, accommodation, and consumer profiles such as gender, age, social status, and area of residence.

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.

Liked this article? Click to share!

• Sport + Travel Magazine

What is sports tourism? 

According to a market report by Allied Market Research , the global sports tourism industry was pegged at $323.42bn in 2020. However, it is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1% from 2021 to 2030.

The report revealed that by region, Europe and North America held the largest share in 2020 – accounting for nearly two-fifths of the market, due to the presence of a large population and high participation in sports activities. However, the global sports tourism market across Asia-Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR of 17.7% during the forecast period of 2021 to 2030, owing to increase in sports participation and sports event hosting.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

Sports tourism: a fast-growing niche

The sport and travel industries go hand-in-hand. Whether it is fans attending a match or an event, or if it is teams and officials travelling to fixtures or competitions, sports tourism is now a major niche in the travel industry.

It’s not just Fifa World Cups, the Olympics or major events that are driving the sector, but also team travel, school sports and smaller competitions. 

Did you know that the global sports industry is estimated to be worth between US$480bn and US$620bn, according to research by A.T. Kearney . Globally, travel and tourism’s direct contribution to GDP was approximately US$4.7trillion in 2020, according to a report by Statista .

UN Tourism describes sports tourism as “one of the fastest growing sectors” in the travel industry. It also states that international sports tourism is worth US$800bn and accounts for 10% of the world’s tourism industry. 

Here we look at what sports tourism is and an expert’s view on its impact…

The United Nations’s definition 

What UN Tourism said about sports tourism:

“ Sports tourism is a fundamental axis, generating around 10% of the world’s expenditure on tourism. It has an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023-2030, moving masses intra and intercontinentally. Sports tourism can promote social, economic and environmental action, it accelerates development and can leave a long-lasting positive legacy.

“ Sports and Tourism are interrelated and complementary. Today, sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism. More and more tourists are interested in sport activities during their trips whether sports are the main objective of travel or not. Sport events of various kinds and sizes attract tourists as participants or spectators and destinations try to add local flavours to them to distinguish themselves and provide authentic local experiences. Mega sport events such as the Olympics and World Cups can be a catalyst for tourism development if successfully leveraged in terms of destination branding, infrastructure development and other economic and social benefits.”

Impact of sports tourism 

Akis Tsolis, CEO of Active Media Group , organisers of the Navarino Challenge and Santorini Experience in Greece, wrote on gtp.gr :

“Aside from the obvious and vast benefits of travel, sports tourism is great for the economy for one simple reason: it generates economic impact through direct spending into a community.  Sports tourism is a rapidly growing niche in the travel/tourism industry. In fact, we at ActiveMedia Group share the belief that it is the fastest growing segment within the travel industry today, generating billions of dollars every year. Sports tourism is a trend that’s not going away and is expected to continue growing.”

The ChatGPT answer to this question…

What is the definition of sports tourism, how does it benefit the economy and what can we expect in the future.

Sports tourism refers to the act of traveling to a destination with the purpose of participating in or watching a sporting event. It involves a wide range of activities, including attending professional sports games, participating in amateur sports tournaments, and visiting sports-related attractions such as museums or stadiums.

Sports tourism can benefit the economy in several ways. Firstly, it generates revenue for local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. Secondly, it creates employment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality industries. Thirdly, it attracts investment in sports infrastructure such as stadiums and training facilities, which can benefit the local community beyond the tourism industry. Additionally, sports tourism can help to promote a destination as a sports hub, which can attract further sporting events and opportunities.

In the future, we can expect sports tourism to continue to grow, driven by the increasing popularity of sports and the ease of travel. Technological advancements such as virtual reality may also create new opportunities for sports tourism, allowing fans to experience sporting events remotely. Additionally, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important factor in tourism, sports tourism may shift towards more eco-friendly practices, such as promoting sustainable transportation and reducing waste.

SPORTS EVENTS CALENDAR

Nashville rock ‘n’ roll running series 2024, 2024 ​​iagto european convention, malaga, 2024 finkstonball baseball and softball festival, austria, tennis grand slam: 2024 french open roland garros, rugby union: 2024 epcr heineken champions cup and challenge cup finals , privacy overview.

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.

• #SportsTourismStrong
• Amateur Sports
• Award Winner
• Best Practices
• Certificate Playbook
• Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE)
• Chief Executive Summit
• Community Relations
• Economic Impact
• Event Impact Calculator
• Event Webinars
• Hall of Fame
• Hall of Fame Inductees
• Member Awards
• Mentor Tips
• Power Plays
• Press Releases
• Professional Development
• PUSH Magazine
• Sponsorship
• Sports Events and Tourism Association
• Sports Events and Tourism Industry
• Sports Events Entertainment Network (SEEN)
• Sports Facilities Summit
• Sports Legacy Fund
• Sports Tourism Learning Institute
• Sports Tourism Strategist
• SportsBIZ XChange
• State Association
• Women's Summit
• Young Professionals
• Youth Sports

State of the Industry Report for the $91.8 Billion Sport Tourism Industry

Contact: Jackie Reau Game Day (513) 708-5822 [email protected]

Note to media: To request a full report or to email Al Kidd, President & CEO of Sports ETA, please contact Jackie Reau.

Sports ETA releases its “State of the Industry” Report  for the $91.8 Billion Sport Tourism Industry

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (May 3, 2022) – Sports ETA, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, released its annual State of the Industry Report for 2021 resulting in the sports tourism sector’s direct spending impact of $39.7 billion which generated a total economic impact of $91.8 billion, supporting 635,000 full-time and part-time jobs and generating $12.9 billion in taxes.

The association’s last research report, “2019 State of the Sports Tourism Industry Report in America presented by the Sports Events and Tourism Association in partnership with the Northstar Meetings Group” was released in 2020 to benchmark 2019, and concluded that U.S. sports-related travelers, event organizers and venues spent a total of $45.1 billion in 2019, an increase of over five percent from the previous year. Those travelers generated $103.3 billion in direct, indirect and induced business sales.

The study was led by Dr. Jennifer Stoll, who leads research efforts for Sports ETA, in partnership with Northstar Meetings Group, the leading multi-platform brand for dedicated meeting and business planners and sports event organizers, and the presenting sponsor of the association’s “Annual State of the Industry” research report.

The analysis draws on the following data sources to quantify sports tourism, which includes adult and youth amateur events and collegiate tournaments (The economic impact analyses conducted within the report exclude professional sports and collegiate regular-season games.):

• Sports ETA: destination membership survey data
• Longwoods International: traveler survey data, including spending and visitor profile characteristics for sports tourism nationwide
• Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics: employment and wage data, by industry
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics: U.S. domestic average itinerary fares
• U.S. Travel Association: domestic travel data
• STR: lodging data
• Sports attendance data

“Our annual State of the Industry report shows that the sport tourism industry has an economic impact of $91.8 Billion supporting 635,000 jobs in our member communities across America,” said Al Kidd , President & CEO of Sports ETA.

Additional major findings in the 2021 State of the Industry Report include:

• In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled or delayed sports events across the country and those events that took place had fewer spectators per participant. Ultimately, the number of sports travelers decreased 46.5% year-over-year to 96 million in 2020. The sector rebounded quickly in 2021 increasing 82.0% year-over-year. The 175 million sports travelers in 2021 was only 2.6% lower than the high-water mark established in 2019.
• Sports travelers, event organizers, and venues spent $9.7 billion on transportation, $8.4 billion on lodging, and $7.5 billion on food and beverages. Recreation, retail, and tournament operations rounded out spending, registering $5.3 billion, $5.0 billion, and $3.7 billion, respectively. The lodging sector accounted for 21% of all sports-related travel spending. In 2021, sports-related travel generated 66.5 million room nights, which is an important factor given that hotel taxes are a primary funding source for many entities.

View the 2021 State of the Industry Report .

About Sports ETA:

As the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, Sports ETA is the most trusted resource for sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and sports event owners. Sports ETA is committed to the success of more than 600 member organizations and 2,500 sports event professionals. We promise to deliver quality education, ample networking opportunities and exceptional event management and marketing know-how to our members and to protect the integrity of the sports events and tourism industry.  For more information, visit  SportsETA.org .

Post Comment

Corporate sponsors.

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.

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.”

Sport Tourism: Benefits, Classification, Types

• Post last modified: 28 August 2021
• Reading time: 34 mins read
• Post category: Tourism

What is Sport Tourism?

Sports tourism is a very significant element in world tourism and has become a highly competitive niche tourism business. As interest and participation in the sport grows within the leisure industry, the desire of people to travel to compete or to spectate has mushroomed.

Table of Content

• 1 What is Sport Tourism?
• 2 Sports Tourist
• 3 Benefits of Sports Tourism
• 4.1 Mega Events
• 4.3 Championships
• 4.4 Tournaments
• 4.5 Training Camps
• 4.6 Development Courses
• 4.7 Conferences
• 4.9 Cause Related
• 4.10 Media Events
• 4.11 Spectator Events
• 4.12 Created Sport Events
• 5.1 Sightseeing Sports Tour
• 5.2 Competitive Sports Tour
• 5.3 Holiday Sports Tour
• 5.4 Healthy and Recreational Sports Tour
• 5.5 Extreme and Adventure Sports Tour
• 6.1 Integrity of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.2 Sensitivity of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.3 Directivity of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.4 High Elasticity of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.5 Variability of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.6 Seasonality of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 6.7 Dependency of Demanding in Sports Tourism
• 7.1 Commonwealth Games 2010
• 7.2 Cricket World Cup Mania

Sports Tourist

Within the sport tourism industry, we can identify many people who are sport tourists. We can distinguish them by activity, demographic group, the characteristics of their sport, and by their performance level.

Sport tourists can be either participants or spectators. Different events have different ratios of one to the other The demographics of the sport and event also determine the number of people involved and their spending preferences and patterns:

Culture and Ethnicity

Sports and Tourism

While we often think of adult-oriented sports events, there are a great number of sport participants who are children and youth. Any youth tournament has parents in attendance as they are needed to drive, but they are also there to support their kids.

For the parents of many young athletes, following the team becomes a year-round travel and tourism activity.

Many sports have tournaments for both men and women, and indeed the fastest growing segments of some traditionally male sports, like soccer, hockey, and rugby, are for women. Research also shows that parents more often travel with their teenage girls to tournaments than their teenage boys.

As we move on to look at the relative value of different events to a community, the income levels of participants will be of importance. While no hard data exists, we know that the income levels of golfers are higher than, say, lawn bowlers, while alpine/downhill skiers spend more than cross-country skiers.

Sport crosses all cultures. Prince Rupert is the host of an annual First Nations Basketball tournament. A Kabaddi tournament will draw great crowds if marketed to the South Asian communities who understand it.

And one of the largest soccer tournaments in the Lower Mainland is organized by the Filipino community which draws teams from across North America, every second year. The nature of the sport itself will also determine the number and characteristics of its sport tourists.

The largest events tend to be for mass participation individual events such as marathons, triathlons, and cross-country ski lop pets; or for team tournaments with lots of teams such as hockey, soccer, and softball.

Less popular sports, where the contest is individual, have smaller tournaments: fencing, boxing, or wrestling, for example. Performance level influences the number and nature of the sport tourists involved. A high-performance baseball tournament will have fewer teams involved than a minor ball or a recreational softball tournament.

Sports tourism brings together sport and tourism. While these two sectors of our society and economy have different natures, values, and organizational structures, they offer tremendous partnering opportunities.

Benefits of Sports Tourism

A focus on sports tourism and sports events can bring economic value, social benefits, and civic pride to the community. Some of these benefits occur at the time of the event, but most are legacies and will return value to the community over many years.

Economic value can be generated and increased in many ways:

• Recognizing the value that existing tournaments bring to the community.
• Identifying the community’s sport strengths and expanding the number and size of existing events.
• Identifying the events that create the greatest economic value, such as masters sport, and focusing on those events.
• Providing more leisure opportunities so that family members are encouraged to come with participants, and everyone is encouraged to ‘stay an extra day’ Valuing volunteers, but working smarter to convert volunteer jobs into paid employment.
• Linking with corporations that have an interest in the demographics of the sport event. Social benefits of sport tourism are closely linked with the social benefits of recreation and sport.

These benefits can be leveraged as follows:

• Volunteering keeps people connected, and connected people are usually healthier.
• A focus on events will encourage participation, especially for young people, but also for adults.
• Sport and events offer ways of bringing people together from many different regions, and everyone learns from these experiences Sport tourism is “green” economic development, and offers opportunities to re-invigorate depressed parts of an urban area.
• Event revenues can be reinvested in community facilities and programs.
• Economic development – Tourism-related revenue is normally the largest portion of the economic impact of an event. This includes accommodation, food and beverage, and other spending. Direct event revenues include admission fees, sponsorships, on-site sales and, for the largest events, television rights.
• Social and Community Legacies: Including youth development, increased fitness levels and health, community, and cultural celebration. Sport links cultures and countries.
• Hosting international sport tournamnts is not only good for tourism but also good for cultural relations, our place in the world, and positive community change. Sporting events can also be designed to be environmentally and socially sustainable.

Classification of Sports Tourism

Let’s discuss the classification of sports tourism:

Mega Events

Championships, tournaments, training camps, development courses, conferences, cause related, media events, spectator events, created sport events.

Very large and high profile games and events, including at the apex, the Olympic and Paralympics Games can yield billions of dollars worth of media coverage, prestige, and economic impact for the host, but require a significant capital investment.

Games are multi-sport events – These can be very large due to the number of sports being hosted at one location at the same time. These can be directed by governments or by separate organizations, e.g., the International Olympic Committee.

Relatively few events are games, although their size makes them attractive targets. Hosting games often requires a wide range of suitable venues, as many sports featured are ‘mandatory’, and given their size, experience hosting major events and breadth of sports events may be advantageous.

These are single-sport properties with rights held by the respective sports organization, where a championship tournament is often the culmination of a season’s sport activity. These are often referred to as ‘the provincials’ or ‘the nationals’.

Many championships are arranged by school and university/college sports associations.

Tournaments are another type of event, usually for a single sport. Whereas a championship is “owned” by a sport governing body, tournaments can be the initiative of any organization choosing to initiate them.

Many are arranged by local sports organizations, but they may also be sponsored by a school, church or temple, or a pub, for example.

They are generally held in the same place at the same time every year and can become a familiar part of the sport’s and a community’s annual calendar. Tournaments may be competitive but are often as much participation and recreation-focused as results-oriented.

Championships, tournaments, and games are often competitive events, but competition follows athlete development and training. National or provincial teams with athletes living in different cities are brought together on regular schedules to train and work together with each other and with coaches.

In addition to such training arranged by technical directors of governing bodies and high-performance teams, training camps may be more individual. Commercial summer hockey camps may offer additional training for youth players, and these can be packaged as part of a vacation for the whole family.

Such camps may take advantage of good facilities during the offseason when their capacity for special events may be greater Most sports have regular training camps at the provincial and national level.

The location of training camps is dependent on services and facilities available, costs, the location of the coach, and the number of athletes in a particular community.

Sport organizations train athletes, coaches and officials of all levels. While many of these courses happen locally, especially for entry-level, courses for higher performance athletes and coaches may involve travel and overnight stays. ‘Out of town’ coaches may travel to a larger centre for such a course, or an instructor may travel to another area to train local coaches.

Sports organizations arrange many meetings and conferences, sometimes in conjunction with major events. Trade shows or exhibitions may be involved with such meetings. In addition to the immediate tourism benefit, these can also be opportunities to introduce decision-makers to facilities and future hosting opportunities in the community.

The selection of a community for a conference is often connected to where the sporting event is taking place or where the sport’s leadership resides.

Very much part of sport tourism, professional sports teams tend to primarily serve a local market with spectator entertainment. They also bring visiting teams to town, but this is balanced by their nights spent on away games.

While visiting team fans may accompany their team’s visit from their home town, these are generally limited in numbers, apart from major events.

Professional sports may have more impact in attracting visitors from smaller markets without a franchise to the larger community, similar to arts and culture events attracting visitors to a major city for concerts or museum exhibitions.

Sports-related events may be very useful tourism opportunities, even though sports competition or sports development are not their prime purposes. The categories following may overlap with the above classification and with each other.

Sports events may be designed primarily to promote a charity or to raise money for a specific cause. but this category is for events where charity is a primary purpose, often accompanied by participant enjoyment and entertainment.

A few events are created mainly for broadcast audiences and derive their main income from broadcasting rights. Examples would include boxing events, the X-Games, or ‘Skins’ golf. Although spectators will be present, this category is designed to appeal to TV audiences.

They can also have a positive influence on a destination’s awareness and image as a sports destination, depending on the size of the audience.

For example, awareness of the quality of golf courses, the scenery, or other attractions of an area could be communicated to a wide golf tourism target audience through two days of TV coverage.

Sports tourism involves tourists watching events as much as it does playing in them. Professional sports are driven by spectator revenue and media broadcasting rights, and the sponsor interest is thus generated, with very few participants.

These events are very similar to major music concerts, and maybe ‘sport-based entertainment’ Such spectator events are only potential tourism activities if they attract visitors who stay overnight or travel from over 80 kilometers.

The tourism potential is for out-of-town visitors to travel to the city from nearby communities to watch a specific spectator event, as they may for a regular professional sports team league game.

Many events in this section can fall into a general category of ‘created events’. In addition to events held for other purposes, a sporting event may be created by a community, facility, or corporation primarily for commercial or tourism purposes.

A large venue or facility may find it has a quiet period, or it regularly has unused capacity at one time of the year and might create an invitational sports tournament to fill that capacity or arrange with a promoter to stage a sports event or a hockey club to hold an off-season training camp.

Types of Sports Tourism

Based on the concept and attributes of sports tourism, combined with its practice, the types of sports tourism can be divided into six kinds in the standard of their characteristics:

Sightseeing Sports Tour

Competitive sports tour, holiday sports tour, healthy and recreational sports tour, extreme and adventure sports tour.

The sightseeing sports tour is a process of experiencing various distinctive sports cultures, in which tourists leave far away from their places of usual residence to enjoy physical exercises, sports buildings, stadiums, sports artistic scenery spots in an audiovisual way.

Here sports cultures refer to the cultures comprising all the activities relative to sports, and it has the widest meaning of sports beauty. There are two brief reasons why the sightseeing sports tour is different from common sightseeing tours.

The first reason is the main purpose of the sightseeing sports tour is to gain the aesthetic experiences associable with sports. A sport sightseeing is a way for tourists to feel sports beauty. Not the mundane pleasure do tourists pursue, but sports aesthetic through this way.

The second reason is the diverse subjects of the sightseeing sports tour.

The competitive sports tour is a trip with the main aim of joining in some sports competition. The tourists include athletes, coaches, sports audiences (sports fans), media staff, and other working personnel closely relating to some sports competition.

All the different tourists go along from miles around to the sports fields and stay for a period of time to take part in, watch or interview some certain sports competition.

The holiday sports tour is a trip with the purpose of relief, adjustment, decompression, recreation, and distraction, for which tourists spend a particular holiday on activities involving sports.

The holiday sports tour usually couples with specific sports in a tourist destination or traditional sports of peoples, so it has typical favor of folklore. The biggest specialty of the holiday sports tour is that just in one holiday or vacation tourists anticipate sports.

The healthy and recreational sports tour is mainly for amusement and diversion, bodybuilding, kinetic recuperation, and rehabilitation. During the tour, tourists participate in different kinds of healthful exercise and obtain relaxation, relief, and a good mood.

Keeping fitness, the definite subject of the entertaining activity is the biggest characteristic of the healthy and recreational sports tour.

But this kind of healthful exercise differs from the traditional exercise, because it inclines towards the idea of keeping healthy from amusement, and that’s why tourists choose this type of sports tour.

The extreme and adventure sports tour is a challenge that human beings rise to their own physiological and psychological extreme limits. People would like to involve in such tours is not only to conquer the natural barrier but also to win and surpass themselves.

This kind of sport is very demanding and somewhat risky, so people with no professional knowledge and training are not apt to get engaged in it. That’s why it is called minority sports.

But such sports activities have already got much attention; some of the sports items, therefore, have been simplified and given Corresponding safe securities, for instance, the artificial rock-climbing walls and cleared rivers for drifting.

More and more people can become its participants. The extreme and adventure sports have four usual items:

• Rock-Climbing: Thrills and stimulus is its feature. It can meet people’s desires of challenging nature and themselves when returning to nature and seeking stimulation, meanwhile, it can help people to enjoy the triumph and great pleasure after achieving their climbing.
• Drifting: Sailing a rubber raft or other boat with no motive power, governing its direction through the paddle, and drifting down by turns turbulent and gentle rivers, to perform a stunning moment against nature.
• Adverse Current Rafting: It’s an exploratory expedition overcoming various topographical hindrances when up a canyon river or stream as far as its beginning. Perfect cooperation among companions is needed to accomplish this arduous trip, so adverse-current rafting is a sports of teamwork.
• Exploration: The vital energy and magic of an exploratory tour lies in its spirit of battling to conquer hardships and wresting from nature her secrets. China stretches across a vast area and owns incommensurable geomorphic types of diversity and typicality, which provides abundant sources for exploratory traveling.

Characteristics of Sports Tourism Market

The characteristics of the sports tourism market essentially are the features of demand in the sports tourism market. To be specific, the features of demanding in sports tourism market are the following:

Integrity of Demanding in Sports Tourism

Sensitivity of demanding in sports tourism, directivity of demanding in sports tourism, high elasticity of demanding in sports tourism, variability of demanding in sports tourism, seasonality of demanding in sports tourism, dependency of demanding in sports tourism.

The integrity of the demand in sports tourism mostly refers to the completeness that sports tourists require from sports tourism products and services. The integrity of the demand in sports tourism is embodied in the multiplicity of the demands during the process of a sports tour.

They are basic physiological needs, safety needs, and high-level needs of enjoyment, development, and self-fulfillment. So sports tourism is expected to provide complex products to the tourists in order to satisfy their manifold demands during the traveling.

The integrity of the demand in sports tourism calls for that the provider of sports traveling products effectively combine their various products and service, or reasonably arrange the time and places to guarantee the overall requirement in the process of a sports tour.

The demand in sports tourism is quite delicate to the changes in the social, political situation, as well as traveling fad in destinations.

If a sports traveling destination has no stable society or is suffered from natural disasters, there’s no doubt that the demand in sports tourism will decrease; no matter how low the prices of its sports traveling products are, there’s no big attraction to sports tourists.

Two different meanings are included. First, sports tourists must leave their residences for the traveling destinations to meet their own needs of sports tours, which is to say, sports consumers need to go to a specific region for their demands of sports traveling.

It can be elaborated in two ways. On one hand, the demand for sports tourism is a comparatively higher level need, which is on the basis of the requirement of essential living conditions. When people’s income has a raise in proportion, the demand for sports tourism can go up in a large proportion.

The big matches with strong admiration often alter the flow of the tourists of sightseeing sports tour to different destinations as the host cities and regions shift. For example, Olympic Games and World Cup are held every four years, but the host cities and areas differ every four years.

Such great sports are obliged to attract a great amount of sports tourists and form the huge flow of sports tourist resource to increase sharply the reception. Next Olympic Games and World Cup will attract the tourists’ flow to another city and area, causing its reception too.

Variability of the demand in sports tourism indicates the unbalance of area distribution when the sightseeing sports tourists transfer along with the variation of the host cities or regions of large-scaled sports matches.

As a consequence, the men’s times received at a certain time differ between host cities or regions and non-host cities or regions.

Seasonality of the demand in sports tourism means the unbalance of seasonal distribution. For some resorts, traveling men times accepted in a year largely correlate with the shift of seasons. Accordingly, there are the distinctions of booming season, normal season, and slack season in sports tourism.

The primary reason for the disparity is the seasonal variation of sports traveling resources. The seasonality of the sports resources is decided by the latitudes, geographic features and positions, and climates, so the conditions or circumstances of doing sports are changing with the season.

The demands of sports tourism are concentrated in large quantities in specific seasons or times instead of being averagely distributed in each month in a year.

This kind of dependency represents its reliance in all comprehensive supplying circumstances.

It lies on sports traveling environment and facilities, on the natural, geographic, and weather conditions, on sports traveling products’ peculiarity and appeal, service quality, and prices, on transportation, communication, hotels, and the like infrastructures, on the improvement of the society and communities in destinations, and on the recognition of the values between homogeneous cultures and heterogeneous cultures as well.

All these reasons cause that most demands and supply concentrate in some special countries and regions, and in some particular period of time.

Sports Tourism in India

A holiday with friends or family to witness a mega sporting event is no longer an alien concept for Indian travelers.

The number of travelers keens on a ringside seat to cheer for the ‘men in blue at the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh or their favorite team during T20 tournament or driver in a formula one race is rapidly growing.

And these sporting enthusiasts are willing to spend ‘top dollar’ to jet-set across the globe to experience the thrill of watching their favorite game live. These fans also like to ‘live it up’ exploring and enjoying the destination simultaneously.

Correspondingly, there has also been a marked rise in the number of tour operators and agents specializing in servicing the requirements of this particular segment. It’s not only niche specialists, but also big mainstream tour operators who set up a separate division to tap the potential of Sports Tourism.

While Sports Tourism in India is primarily outbound, there are small inroads also being made on the inbound and domestic front. Overall, according to industry experts, the segment is expected to have a growth rate of 10-20 percent in the coming years.

Sports Tourism has diversified from its conventional form restricted to viewing the sport live, to be clubbed with MICE or leisure trips. Hence, delegates from the corporate world are often witnessed weaving their conventions and business sessions with various sporting events.

The present scenario has further evolved itself to include families accompanying delegates and fans to the sporting event. They consider the event as an incentive to visit and explore the destination wherein they indulge in shopping and other leisure activities.

Commonwealth Games 2010

With innumerable infrastructure disasters and last-minute hiccups, the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi turned out to be a politically turbulent event. Many major travel agencies and tour companies in the country also decided to play it safe and backed out from promoting the Games.

However, the Games played a vital role in creating a major chunk of long-overdue infrastructure in the capital and also showcasing ‘Incredible India’ to the world. The opening ceremony was a spectacular melange of our diversity and culture.

The Games went off without a hitch and gave great exposure to the country. As per information from the Immigration authorities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) from October 1-14, 2010 (Commonwealth Games period) stood at 75,606.

Also, according to industry feedback, FTAs to India in October 2010, saw a rise by 9.2 percent (about 4.87 lakh tourists), as compared to the same period last year.

Cricket World Cup Mania

While the 2010 Commonwealth Games fever has barely left India, the country is all set to co-host another important sporting event of relatively greater popularity: the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2011, to be held from February 17 to April 2, 2011.

As the cricket mania gathers momentum in the country with a massive cricket craze, most travel agents and tour operators in India seem to be making the best of the opportunity by designing packages around the tournament to change the outlook of Sports Tourism.

Which is still a niche trend in the country. The response has so far been good that most travel and tour operators foresee a shortage of tickets due to increasing demands from fans. An increasing number of requests to block dates during the CWC have come from groups of NRIs and families as well.

Tour operators are forming larger groups to make bulk reservations so as to sell packages at economic rates. As it is obvious, the result is that demands are higher for Indian matches. “Some of the travelers, especially from middle and high-end segments, are taking the tournament as an incentive to explore the country.

Please Share This Share this content

• Opens in a new window X
• Opens in a new window Facebook
• Opens in a new window Pinterest
• Opens in a new window LinkedIn
• Opens in a new window Reddit
• Opens in a new window WhatsApp

You Might Also Like

Rural tourism: types, benefits, challenges, growth, destination management, tourist places to visit in jaisalmer (2024), tourist places to visit in gulmarg (2024), destination branding, tourist places to visit in tamil nadu (2024), leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Scholarly Community Encyclopedia
• Log in/Sign up

Video Upload Options

• MDPI and ACS Style
• Chicago Style

We define participatory sport event tourism as travel behavior in which people use leisure time to go to a destination to achieve the purpose of participating in sport events and obtain unique experiences. The tourism process integrates competition, entertainment, experience, health benefits, among others.

1. Introduction

2. the need for understanding value co-creation in sport tourism, 3. conclusions.

• Liu, Y.L.; Zhang, Y. Review of event tourism research from the perspective of theoretical application. Tour. Hosp. Prospect. 2021, 5, 1–34.
• Hinch, T.D.; Higham, J. Sport tourism: A framework for research. Int. J. Tour. Res. 2001, 3, 45–58.
• Deery, M.; Jago, L.; Fredline, L. Sport Tourism or Event tourism: Are They One and the Same? Sport Tour. 2004, 9, 235–245.
• Wang, D.G. Research on market characteristics and product development of sports tourism. Tour. Trib. 2002, 17, 49–53.
• Yang, Q. Twenty years of research on sports tourism in China: Review and prospects. China Sport Sci. Technol. 2011, 47, 90–115.
• Yoosefi Lebni, J.; Moradi, F.; Salahshoor, M.R.; Chaboksavar, F.; Irandoost, S.F.; Nezhaddadgar, N.; Ziapour, A. How the COVID-19 pandemic effected economic, social, political, and cultural factors: A lesson from Iran. Int. J. Soc. Psychiatry 2020, 67, 298–300.
• Mamirkulova, G.; Mi, J.; Abbas, J.; Mahmood, S.; Mubeen, R.; Ziapour, A. New Silk Road infrastructure opportunities in developing tourism environment for residents better quality of life. Glob. Ecol. Conserv. 2020, 24, e01194.
• Prebensen, N.; Foss, L. Coping and co-creation in tourism experiences. Int. J. Tour. Res. 2011, 13, 54–67.
• Zhang, W.M.; Sha, Z.Q. Research on the transformation of travel agency based on co-creation-incentive travel as an example. Tour. Trib. 2011, 11, 52–57.
• Chouki, S.; Peter, B. Tourism experience network: Co-creation of experience in interactive process. Int. J. Tour. Res. 2013, 15, 496–506.
• Liu, S.A.; Lu, C.B. Value co-creation: The transformation of tourist management concept and innovation path in scenic spots. Hum. Geogr. 2016, 4, 135–142.
• Bao, S.L. Research on rural high-end tourism based on experience and value co creation theory—A case study of Sichuan Province. Hunan Agric. Sci. 2014, 14, 68–71.
• Elaine, F.M.; Hyelin, K. The effect of co-creation experience on outcome variable. Ann. Tour. Res. 2016, 9, 62–75.
• Cabiddu, F.; Lui, T.-W.; Piccoli, G. Managing value co-creation in the tourism industry. Ann. Tour. Res. 2013, 42, 86–107.
• Kim, K.; Byon, K.K.; Baek, W. Customer-to-customer value co-creation and co-destruction in sporting events. Serv. Ind. J. 2020, 40, 633–655.
• Vargo, S.L.; Lusch, R.F. Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. J. Mark. 2004, 68, 1–17.
• Toolis, B. New Technology Helping Sports Fans Have Better Game Day Experience. 2021. Available online: https://www.newson6.com/story/60480886e7d03d0bdab65b8a/new-technology-helping-sports-fans-have-better-game-day-experience-2021 (accessed on 25 August 2021).
• Li, L.J. Influence mechanism of tourism experience value co-creation—A case study of Xiangshan Park in Beijing. Geogr. Geo-Inf. Sci. 2012, 3, 96–100.
• Su, Z.; McDonnell, D.; Wen, J.; Kozak, M.; Šegalo, S.; Xiang, Y.-T. Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage: The need for effective crisis communication practices. Glob. Health 2021, 17, 4.
• Azizi, M.R.; Atlasi, R.; Ziapour, A.; Abbas, J.; Naemi, R. Innovative human resource management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic narrative review approach. Heliyon 2021, 7, 1–15.
• Prahalad, C.K.; Ramaswamy, V. Co-creation experiences: The next practice in value creation. J. Interact. Mark. 2004, 18, 5–14.

• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Advisory Board

Sports Tourism: Global Fan Attraction

• Published: November 15, 2023
• By: Yellowbrick

Sports Tourism: A Growing Industry

Sports tourism is a growing industry that attracts fans from all around the world. It combines the excitement of sports with the thrill of travel, creating a unique experience for sports enthusiasts. From attending major sporting events to visiting sports museums and participating in sports-related activities, sports tourism offers a wide range of opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite sports.

The Appeal of Live Sporting Events

One of the main reasons why sports tourism is so appealing to fans is the chance to witness live sporting events. Whether it’s the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup, or the Olympic Games, these major sporting events draw millions of spectators from different countries. Fans travel to the host cities to support their favorite teams, experience the electric atmosphere, and be a part of the sporting history. The opportunity to see their favorite athletes in action and witness record-breaking performances is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many fans.

Exploring New Cities and Cultures

In addition to major sporting events, sports tourism also encompasses smaller-scale competitions and tournaments. Fans travel to different destinations to watch their favorite teams or athletes compete in local leagues, championships, and tournaments. This not only allows them to support their favorite teams but also provides an opportunity to explore new cities and cultures. Sports tourism plays a significant role in boosting local economies as fans spend money on accommodation, transportation, food, and souvenirs during their stay.

Visiting Sports Museums and Venues

Another aspect of sports tourism is the opportunity for fans to visit sports museums and dedicated sports venues. Many cities have museums that showcase the history, achievements, and artifacts of various sports. For example, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, is a popular destination for baseball fans. Similarly, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, offers a comprehensive experience for fans of the Olympic Games. These museums not only educate visitors about the sport but also provide a deeper understanding of its cultural significance.

Participating in Sports-Related Activities

Sports tourism also offers fans the chance to participate in sports-related activities themselves. From golfing in world-renowned courses to taking part in sports clinics and workshops, fans can actively engage with their favorite sports. For example, fans of soccer can join training sessions conducted by professional coaches or attend soccer camps to improve their skills. This hands-on experience allows fans to connect with the sport on a personal level and gain a deeper appreciation for the physical and mental demands of the game.

The Impact of Social Media on Sports Tourism

The rise of social media has further contributed to the popularity of sports tourism. Fans can now share their experiences with a global audience, inspiring others to embark on their own sports tourism journeys. The power of social media in promoting destinations and events has made sports tourism a lucrative industry for host cities. They invest in state-of-the-art facilities, infrastructure, and marketing strategies to attract sports tourists and position themselves as sports tourism hotspots.

Career Opportunities in Sports Tourism

For individuals interested in pursuing a career in sports tourism, there are various job opportunities available. Event management, sports marketing, hospitality, and tourism management are some of the fields that offer exciting prospects in this industry. By acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge, individuals can contribute to the growth of sports tourism and play a vital role in attracting fans worldwide.

The Growth of Sports Tourism

Sports tourism has become a significant industry that attracts fans from all corners of the globe. The opportunity to witness live sporting events, visit sports museums, participate in sports-related activities, and share experiences on social media has made sports tourism a thriving sector. For fans, it provides an unparalleled opportunity to combine their passion for sports with the joy of travel. For host cities, it offers economic growth and a chance to showcase their culture and hospitality. Sports tourism is an industry that continues to evolve, creating exciting opportunities for both fans and professionals alike.

Key Takeaways:

• Sports tourism combines the excitement of sports with the thrill of travel, attracting fans from all around the world.
• Major sporting events, smaller-scale competitions, and tournaments draw millions of spectators who travel to support their favorite teams and experience the electric atmosphere.
• Sports museums and dedicated sports venues offer fans the chance to explore the history and cultural significance of various sports.
• Fans can actively engage with their favorite sports through activities like golfing, sports clinics, and workshops, gaining a deeper appreciation for the game.
• Social media plays a significant role in promoting sports tourism, inspiring others to embark on their own sports tourism journeys.
• Sports tourism offers various job opportunities in event management, sports marketing, hospitality, and tourism management.
• Pursuing a career in sports tourism allows individuals to contribute to the growth of the industry and attract fans worldwide.

If you are interested in a career in sports tourism and want to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge, consider taking the NYU Fundamentals of Global Sports Management online course and certificate program offered by Yellowbrick. This comprehensive program will provide you with valuable insights and expertise to excel in the dynamic field of sports tourism. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to kickstart your career in sports management!

Enter your email to learn more and get a full course catalog!

• Hidden hide names
• Hidden First Name
• Hidden Last Name
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More from Yellowbrick

Mastering the Art of Backline Tech: Tips & Tricks for Technicians

Explore the exciting role of a backline technician, gain insights into essential skills, career growth opportunities, and steps to achieve success in the live music industry.

Test Unlocked Resource Page

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Top 5 Video Streaming Challenges: How to Overcome Them

Explore video streaming challenges and strategies to overcome them, from bandwidth limitations to DRM issues. Dive into the dynamism of the video streaming industry.

ABOUT YELLOWBRICK

• Work at Yellowbrick
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

STUDENT RESOURCES

• Scholarships
• Student Login
• Beauty Business Essentials
• Beauty Industry Essentials
• Ecommerce Essentials
• Fashion Business Essentials
• Fashion Industry Essentials
• Footwear Business Essentials
• Gaming & Esports Industry Essentials
• Global Sports Management
• Hospitality Industry Essentials
• Music Industry Essentials
• Performing Arts Industry Essentials
• Product Design Essentials
• Sneaker Essentials
• Streetwear Essentials
• TV/Film Industry Essentials
• UX Design Essentials

©2024 Yellowbrick · All Rights Reserved · All Logos & Trademarks Belong to Their Respective Owners

Improving communities through sport

• (727) 474.3845
• Request Consultation

Facilities We Manage:

• Albertville, AL
• Gardendale, AL
• Huntsville, AL
• Chamblee, GA
• Rocky Mount, NC
• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Sandusky, OH
• Bridgeport, WV
• Wheeling, WV
• Fruitland, MD
• Hillsborough, NJ
• West Monroe, LA
• Artesia, NM
• Tamarac, FL
• Panama City Beach, FL
• Cape Coral, FL
• Bedford Park, IL
• New Lenox, IL
• Springfield, IL
• Mattoon, IL
• Brandon, MS
• Gulfport, MS
• Starkville, MS
• Vicksburg, MS
• Elizabethtown, KY
• Paducah, KY
• Gatlinburg, TN
• Morristown, TN
• Leetsdale, PA
• Branson, MO
• Reeds Spring, MO
• Springfield, MO
• Chesterfield, MO
• Overland Park, KS
• Rosenberg, TX
• Abilene, TX

Additional Projects:

• Advisory & Development

Facility Management Solutions

• Turnkey Facility Operations
• Recreation Center Management
• Aquatics Operations & Management
• Start-Up Operational Development
• Existing Facility Optimization

New Facility Development Services

• Owner’s Representation
• Venue Planning
• Procurement

Pre-Development & Advisory Services

• Market Opportunity Report
• Feasibility Study
• Financial Forecasting
• Economic Impact Report
• Recreation Master Planning
• Custom Analysis Tools & Studies
• Emerging Sports

• Sports Tourism

Examples of Sports Tourism: Successful Sports Tourism Events

• Posted by jumpsix2
• on February 25, 2019

Sports tourism is a well-established concept, but many investors and entrepreneurs are still not quite sure what it could mean for their projects. Successful sporting events lead to increased sports tourism, generating recognition and revenue for your sports facility, local businesses, and the whole community. However, success is never guaranteed; it requires intelligent investment, patience, and cutting-edge marketing. Today the SFA/SFM team will provide a few examples of sports tourism with large-market, mid-market, and small-market events.

Download a PDF

Rocky top sports world case study, examples of successful sports tourism attractions, large-market sports tourism events.

• NCAA Final Four – The College Basketball March Madness Tournament is one of the best examples of the benefits of sports tourism for host cities. Each year up to 14 cities will host tournament games, and competition to host is fierce. In 2018, the host city of the Final Four estimated an economic impact of $135 million for the city of San Antonio. With nearly 71,000 fans visiting the city, the benefits to local businesses were immense.
• NFL Draft – Until recently, the NFL Draft had a relatively small following and was always held at Madison Square Garden. As popularity for the event began to rise, the NFL decided to host the Draft at a new location every year. Since then, the NFL Draft has been a major boon to the host city. In 2018, Dallas held the event at AT&T Stadium in the biggest NFL Draft event yet. Visit Dallas estimated that the event generated $125.2 million in economic impact for the Dallas region over the three-day event.
• The Honda Classic – The Honda Classic set a record for attendance in 2018, in part because of the city of Palm Beach made a major investment in the event, and in part because it featured the long-awaited return of Tiger Woods. With an incredible attendance number of 224,642 spectators over the seven-day event, the economic impact on the Palm Beach community was substantial.
• Austin Marathon – Successful sports tourism events are not solely in the realm of traditional spectator sports events. The Austin Marathon attracted an estimated $37.5 million in external spending in the Austin economy without the traditional spectator draw that accompanies more popular sports.
• Pop Warner Super Bowl & National Cheer & Dance Championships – Large sports tourism events are not exclusive to adult or professional sporting events. The Pop Warner Super Bowl/National Cheer & Dance Championships attract thousands of participants, their families, and spectators from around the world. In 2018, the event attracted over 50,000 visitors to Kissimmee, Florida. With an estimated $8 million spent in the community, this event shows that even youth sports tourism can be a major boon to local businesses.

Mid-Market Sports Tourism Events

• CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association hosted the third largest collegiate event in the country. Despite not having the following of the NCAA, this event brought over 150,000 fans to Charlotte in 2018, generating more than $50.5 million for the city. Even mid-market sports tourism events have the potential to create an incredible impact with the right investment.
• FLW Tour Forrest Wood Cup – The 2017 Fishing League Worldwide Forrest Wood Cup shows that even very niche sports tourism events have the potential to have a significant economic impact. With over 66,000 visitors in attendance, this event generated an estimated 24.4 million dollars in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• The American Legion World Series – The American Legion World Series is a mid-market youth baseball tournament held in Shelby, North Carolina. This sports tourism event has shown how steady improvements can result in an incredible impact for communities. Available economic impact reports show growth from $9.3 million regionally to $16.8 million since 2011.
• WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships – The WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships is another example of the power of investment in niche sporting events. While many people remain unaware of the existence of Ultimate Frisbee, this event has made an enormous impact on the community of Lebanon, Ohio. According to the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the WFDF Championships had an estimated economic impact of over $10 million.  
• Minto US Open Pickleball Championships – Despite being a relatively new event and a niche sport, the Minto US Open Pickleball Championship has managed to grow each of its three years in existence. In 2018, the Championship brought 11,000 spectators and 1,300 participants, resulting in an estimated economic impact of $4.9 million to the county of Collier.

Small-Market Sports Tourism Events

• Little League Senior League Softball World Series – Although the LLSLS World Series is the largest international youth sports tourism event in Delaware, it has an economic impact that stretches into Maryland. This event brought around 150 athletes and over 12,000 spectators in support — with an estimated economic impact of over $2 million for the state.
• Maverik National Lacrosse Classic – The Maverik National Lacrosse Classic is a world-class Lacrosse event in its twelfth year. In 2018, this event drew 2,000 athletes and over 3,000 spectators to Frederica, Delaware. The Maverik has managed to grow steadily thanks to unique offerings like guest speakers and eSport areas — keeping athletes entertained even when they aren’t competing.
• NTBA Boys National Championship – The NTBA Boys National Championship makes use of its incredible location, at Myrtle Beach, Florida, to attract families to support their young athletes while also enjoying family time at the beach. In 2018, the Championship attracted 3,500 athletes and 10,000 spectators, and it has great potential to continue to grow.
• Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament Championship – Located in the family-friendly vacation destination of Branson, Missouri, the MNASPS Tournament Championship has gained a tremendous following despite being such a niche sport. In 2018, the event drew more than 3,100 youth athletes to compete.

Bring Top-Notch Sports Tourism Events to Your City

The SFA/SFM team has the experience and expertise to develop sports facilities that can host even the biggest sports events. If you believe your city could benefit from the incredible economic impact these sports tourism events can offer, contact our team today at 727-474-3845 to learn more.

Share this Post

Latest posts.

How Much Does It Cost To Build an Indoor Sports Complex

The Evolution of Sports Facility Design in 2024: A Focus on Smaller, More Engaging Venues

How the Top Aquatics Venues Measure Success

How Much Does It Cost To Build an Outdoor Sports Complex?

(727) 474-3845

17755 US Hwy 19 N. Suite 300 Clearwater, FL 33764

• Facility Planning
• Facility Development
• Facility Management
• Employment Opportunities
• Privacy Policy

Latest News

Ashley whittaker of the sports facilities companies named sports eta’s woman of the year.

• April 11, 2024

Naples Soccer Fans Have the Chance To Be a Part of USL History

• February 22, 2024

Paradise Coast Sports Complex to house USL Naples expansion team

• February 20, 2024

West Monroe Sports & Events Center Celebrates Successful Grand Opening Event

• February 16, 2024

Discover how we can help your community

Download our free

Sports tourism guide, gated content.

A Review of Studies of Small-Scale Sport Tourism in Rural Communities and Regions, with Focus on Leverage, and the Role the Organization of Small-Scale Sport Tourism Events Play in Business and Community Development in the Host Communities

• First Online: 22 September 2022

Cite this chapter

• Tor Gjertsen 3  

228 Accesses

For small as well as big-scale sport tourism events to be able to contribute to sustainable community development they not only have to be integrated socioculturally into the host community, the events must also be part of strategic planning and political mobilization for social and economic change and development. Even if it is not always the case, this integration can also strengthen the sustainability of the sport tourism events themselves. Without social and political basis and support in the host communities, a locally owned and/or run small-scale sport event will most likely not survive for long. To give their support the inhabitants of the host communities have to get something back from the events, anything from a feeling of pride to social and economic benefits. The more evenly or fairly distributed the benefits from the sport events are in the host community, the greater the potential for community support of the events, but probably also for the event's contribution to community development. However, for sport tourism events and community development projects to be sustainable, broader involvement of the inhabitants of the host community is one, but not the only requirement. According to the International Association for Community Development (IACD), community development is about respect for local values, cultural diversity, economic equality, and social and political inclusion of the local population. To contribute to sustainable development in the host communities and regions, the organization of sport and sport tourism should be based on the same fundamental principles. A review of small-scale sport tourism studies in rural communities and regions around the world shows that there still is a long way to go for sport tourism and community development to become sustainable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Elkington ( 2018 ). 20 years ago I coined the phrase ‘triple bottom line’. Here is why it is time to rethink it. In: Harvard Business Review. October

Both the paragliding activities in Portugal and the ultramarathon mountain race in Canada were organized from outside, with little or no participation from the nearby local communities, Linhares da Beira and Grand Cache. To call them “host communities” can therefore be misleading.

Moscardo and Murphy ( 2014 ), p. 2538.

Ibid., p. 2541.

Costa and Chalip ( 2006 ), p. 270.

O’Brian ( 2008 ), p. 160.

Weed and Bull ( 2004 ).

Honningsvåg Turn og Idrettsforening.

Smith ( 2009 ), p. 117.

Peric et al. ( 2016 ), p. 14.

Peric et al. ( 2016 ), p. 15.

United Nations report ( 1955 ). Social Progress through Community Development. NY.

Elkington ( 2018 ).

Bridger and Luloff ( 1995 ), p. 7.

Bridger and Luloff ( 1995 ), p. 9.

Bridger and Luloff ( 1999 ), p. 383.

Bridger and Alter ( 2008 ), p. 107.

Wilkinson ( 1991 ), p. 36.

Bridger and Luloff ( 1999 ), p. 384.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the International Association for Community Development (IACD), the (UN) World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Bridger and Alter ( 2008 ), p. 108.

Weed and Bull ( 2004 ), p. 37.

Weed ( 2005 ), p. 5.

Bender T (1978) Community and social change in America. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ

Google Scholar  

Bridger JC (1996) Community imagery and the built environment. In: Sociological Quarterly

Bridger JC, Alter TR (2006) Place, community development and social capital. J Commun Develop Soc 37(1):5–18

Article   Google Scholar  

Bridger JC, Alter TR (2008) An interactional approach to place-based rural development. In: Journal of the Community Development Society 39(1):99–111

Bridger JC, Luloff AE (1995) Sustainable community development: an interactional perspective. Penn State University, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. College of Agricultural Sciences

Bridger JC, Luloff AE (1999) Toward an interactional approach to sustainable community development. J Rural Stud 15(4):377–387

Chalip L (2006) Towards social leverage of sport events. J Sport Tourism 11(2):109–127

Costa CA, Chalip L (2006) Adventure sport tourism in rural revitalization. Eur Sport Manag Q 5(3):257–279

Elkington J (2018) 20 years ago I coined the phrase ‘triple bottom line’. Here’s why its time to rethink it. Harvard Business Rev 25:2–5

Elkington J (2020) The green swans: the coming boom in regenerative capitalism. Fast Company Press

Gibson HJ, Kaplanidou K, Kang SJ (2012) Small-scale event sport tourism: A case study in sustainable tourism. Sport Manag Rev 15:160–170

Gjertsen T (2017) “The north cape walk – from amateur to professional sport tourism?” in: STC’16 sport tourism conference – red. In: Green and blue strategies. Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb

Hinch T, Holt NL (2016) Sustaining places and participatory sport tourism events. J Sustain Tour 0:0 (1-16)

Leslie D (2012) Responsible tourism: concepts, theory and practice. Introduction (1–16)

Book   Google Scholar  

Moscardo G, Murphy L (2014) There is no such thing as sustainable tourism: re-conceptualizing tourism as a tool for sustainability. Sustainability 6:2538–2561

O’Brian D (2008) Points of leverage: maximizing host community benefit from a regional surfing festival. Europ Sport Manag Q 7(2):141–165

Peric M et al (2016) Leveraging small-scale sport events: challenges of Organising, delivering and managing sustainable outcomes in rural communities, the case of Gorski kotar, Croatia. Sustainability 8:1337

Putnam RD (1993) Making democracy work. Civic traditions in modern Italy. Princeton University Press

Putnam RD (2000) Bowling alone. In: The Collapse and revival of American community. Simon and Shuster Publishers

Smith A (2009) Theorizing the relationship between mayor sport events and social sustainability. J Sport Tourism 14:109–120

Tilly C (1973) Do communities act. Sociol Inq 43(3/4):209–240

United Nation (1955) Social Progress through community development. United Nations, Bureau of Social Affairs, New York

Weed M (2005) Sport tourism theory and method – concepts, issues and epistemologies. European Sport Manag Q 5(3):229–242

Weed M, Bull CJ (2004) Sports tourism: participants, policy and providers. Elsevier, London

Wilkinson KP (1991) The Community in Rural America. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT

Yanarella EJ, Levin RS (1992) Does sustainable development lead to sustainability? Futures 24:759–774

Ziakas V, Costa CA (2011) Understanding an event portfolio: the uncovering of interrelationships, synergies and leverage opportunities. J Policy Res Tour Leasure and Events 2(2):144–164

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

Tor Gjertsen

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tor Gjertsen .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

University of Lille, Lille, France

Claude Sobry

University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Montreal, Canada

Kazem Hozhabri

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Gjertsen, T. (2022). A Review of Studies of Small-Scale Sport Tourism in Rural Communities and Regions, with Focus on Leverage, and the Role the Organization of Small-Scale Sport Tourism Events Play in Business and Community Development in the Host Communities. In: Sobry, C., Hozhabri, K. (eds) International Perspectives on Sport for Sustainable Development . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06936-9_4

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06936-9_4

Published : 22 September 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-031-06935-2

Online ISBN : 978-3-031-06936-9

eBook Packages : Social Sciences Social Sciences (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Destination El Paso shows off local attractions, activities

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — Summer is almost here, and so is the annual National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), a tradition to celebrate the U.S travel community and its impact on the overall economy.

Tourism brings millions of dollars into the El Paso area. In 2021, it generated $1.8 billion in visitor revenue and supported 13,700 jobs in El Paso, according to Visit El Paso officials.

This year, National Travel and Tourism Week will run from May 19-25.

While many people are making plans to head outside the Borderland, tourism officials are showcasing what the El Paso area has to offer, even to locals who have never experienced some of the region’s key destinations.

Destination El Paso took our KTSM crews and other media on a special “Familiarization” tour of El Paso.

The tour began with an early morning horseback ride along the Rio Grande in the Canutillo area. It was a peaceful, hour-long horseback ride that broke away from the everyday routine of city life.

“It was so amazing to get out of the city and just experience something that’s so beautiful and so natural and so real. It really definitely helped me get into a cool, different mindset. It was really beautiful to experience,” said Lucie Caderon, an El Pasoan taking part in the tour.

People can book a horseback ride at any time during the day on weekdays, by visiting the Facebook page for El Paso Valley Trail Rides and Horseback River Rides . During the weekend, people can book at any time Saturday mornings or Sunday afternoons.

“I like going out there and seeing the river. The kids will come out really scared and then by the end of it, they want to keep riding and go fast. It’s good to see the kids get out and do something, not just on an IPad all the time,” said Jonathan Barrett, a horseback trail guide with El Paso Valley Trail Rides.

The tour continued with an indoor skydiving experience at iFLY El Paso, located at 430 Vin Rambla Dr. in West El Paso. For more information on their pricing and information, you can visit their website .

“Now, the most important part when we’re flying is remembering the hand signs, OK? Because when we’re in the wind, we won’t be able to hear each other. We won’t be able to speak to each other. Right? All our communication will come down to these (hand signs) right here,” Edgar M., an instructor with iFly.

The four hand signs are for “relax,” “legs straight,” “chin up,” and “legs bent.” These are the key techniques to ensure people are flying in a smooth manner inside the wind tunnels.

These basic skills are transferable to real skydiving, according to iFLY coaches. People can also take lessons to progress in their indoor skydiving techniques, climbing six levels that lead up to being an indoor sky diving coach.

“Oh my goodness. I had such an amazing experience. It was truly out of this world. And this was something I went into with a little bit of anxiety. I was a little nervous, but I went in, leaving so confident and having so much fun. Truly a 10 out of 10 experience,” said El Pasoan Victoria Duran.

She and others on the tour earned a certificate acknowledging that they reached “terminal velocity” at iFLY El Paso.

The tour concluded with a trip family-owned Zin Valle Vineyards winery in the Canutillo area.

Tour participants were treated to five different wines ranging from some of their driest to sweetest, complemented by wood fire pizza from Heavenly Slices’ food truck.

“A lot of people don’t know that the El Paso region and nearby is actually the oldest wine growing region in the country,” said Zin Valle Vineyards owner Ryan Poulos.

“Sometimes, people are a little intimidated by the wine tasting experience. They might come in not knowing what to do, but we like to welcome everyone in a casual manner. You’re welcome to try any three wines. We’ll find out what you like, and then you can just enjoy a glass or a bottle of wine outside with your friends and family.”

The winery is open from noon to 5 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday, with live music every Saturday and Sunday year-round.

Travel is a $2.6 trillion dollar industry that supports 15 million American jobs and promotes other vital industries in the country, according to the U.S Travel Association.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.

Recommended Stories

2024 nfl draft grades: pittsburgh steelers flex out offensive line as part of strong class.

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Steelers' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Cincinnati Bengals walk away with immediate impact, especially along the lines

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Bengals' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Miami Dolphins build out both lines and add more playmakers

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Dolphins' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Cleveland Browns add potential impact DT and some OL depth with limited resources

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Browns' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Buffalo Bills play it safe but also nab potential impact receiver

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Bills' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: New England Patriots grab QB of future in Drake Maye to headline great haul

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Patriots' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: New York Jets build out offense with limited capital

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Jets' 2024 draft.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Baltimore Ravens do what they do best — let good players fall into their laps

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Ravens' 2024 draft.

Stripe's big changes, Brazil's newest fintech unicorn and the tale of a startup shutdown

Stripe announced that it will be de-coupling payments from the rest of its financial services stack. This is a big change, considering that in the past, even as Stripe grew its list of services, it required businesses to be payments customers in order to use any of the rest. Alongside this, the company is adding in a number of new embedded finance features and a new wave of AI tools.

'My mom is in love with this thing': Amazon's No. 1 bestselling bathrobe is 'beyond soft' and it's just $17

'Don’t waste your money on an expensive name-brand robe, I promise this is better,' said one of 33,000+ fans.