BBA- SPORTS MANAGEMENT -PES

UM22BS245A-SPORTS TOURISM (4-00-4)

Unit 2- Role of Sport in Promoting Tourism: Sport as a Catalyst for Tourism Development;
Social, Economic, and Infrastructure Benefits; Loyalty of Audience; Emergence of Legacies;
Branding Value; Youth and Community Relationships; Positive Image Projection for
Destinations. Sports Tourism Opportunities.
Number of Hours Required: 19 hours

Sport as a Catalyst for Tourism Development; Social, Economic, and Infrastructure Benefits;
Loyalty of Audience; Emergence of Legacies; Branding Value; Youth and Community
Relationships; Positive Image Projection for Destinations.

How do sports promote tourism

SPORTS AS A CATALYST FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism. Sport events of various kinds
and sizes attract tourists as participants or spectators. Destinations try to add local flavours
to them to distinguish themselves and provide authentic local experiences. Mega sport
events such as Olympics and World Cups can be a catalyst for Sports tourism development if
successfully leveraged in terms of destination branding, infrastructure development and
other economic and social benefits.
We have seen a recent upsurge in sport tourism development across the globe. Sport
tourism exists within a complex network of social, economic, political, cultural and
environmental factors that can determine the impact of sport tourism on certain
destinations.
In this regard, lets us discuss the case study to assess the possibility of using major sport
tourism events as a catalyst for development in the African context, using the experiences
gained from the hosting of the 2010 Fédération International de Football Association (FIFA)
World Cup and the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
The methodology employed involved the use of self-administered questionnaires targeting
event attendees during the hosting of both events.
The key variables measured surrounded key tourism aspects of the event.
The study found similarities and differences in relation to travel motives, demographics and
types of tourism activities in which engaged.
Interestingly, repeat visitors to South Africa were enthusiastic about revisiting the province,
as they recognized the tourism offerings to serve as a drawcard to the area. Additionally, the
visitors also wanted to promote the province upon return to their place of residency, by
means of positive word of mouth.
The study demonstrates the ability of sport tourism events to act as a catalyst for tourism,
especially when they are properly leveraged
Keywords: development, tourism, sport tourism, tourism impacts

Introduction
Sport tourism events have been identified as providing an exciting opportunity to market
cities as preferred tourist destinations, and to offer growth opportunities for the respective
local sport tourism. Sports events play a crucial role in shaping national and local tourism
offerings, while also transforming destinations to become desirable event-driven economies
There are both economic and social benefits to be gained on both national and regional
levels from the hosting of sport tourism events. The successful hosting of a sport tourism
event can lead to substantial increases in visitation and tourism revenue, as well as to a
sense of heightened pride among the community members in the host city
When a sport tourism is successfully hosted, it can also lead to enhanced city visibility and
to an improved city image.
Due to such perceived benefits, sport and tourism have grown significantly to become
important economic activities in both the developed and developing worlds
Developing countries have displayed an eagerness to bid for, and to host, sport tourism
events, with the belief that they can play a major role in the economic and social
regeneration of both urban and rural communities.
The developing countries have continuously pushed for integrating of sport tourism events,
particularly in terms of sport mega-events, in their national and urban planning initiatives.
In the African context, countries have recently strongly emphasized the hosting of sport
tourism events as a way of fast-tracking development, and of placing themselves on the
global tourism map.
These events enhanced the image of the specific host city and of the nations in general,
especially in relation to the latter’s global image, which is assumed to boost both their
investment possibilities and their tourism potential.
Sports events, which are the most common type of sport tourism activity, are seen by
developing countries as being an important vehicle for improving the quality of life of the
host communities by attracting visitors, who then contribute to the economic well-being of
the locals
Many developing countries have identified sport tourism as a shortcut to gain a certain level
of global recognition that is already present in the case of developed nations.
The increased competitive global environment is a major motivator for developing countries
to host sport events to gain global awareness, improved city image, and differentiation from
other, similar destinations.
The study below seeks to explore the possibility of using sport tourism events as a catalyst
for tourism development in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, using Port Elizabeth’s
(PE’s) hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 African Cup of Nations as a case in
point.
PE hosted eight football matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including a quarter-final, as
well as the third and fourth place play-off games. Likewise for the 2013 AFCON tournament,
there was a similar schedule, with eight games being hosted, as well as the quarter-final and
third and fourth place play-off games.
The hosting of such high-profile games was seen as an ideal platform for advertising the
credentials of the Port Elizabeth, as a sport tourism destination. Sport tourism events are
known to provide a wide range of opportunities for development on both a short- and
longer-term basis. These events can trigger numerous socio-economic and environmental
benefits for the host destination Consequently, the successful hosting of these and other
events in PE has been anticipated to provide a socio-economic development for both the
city and the province in general.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 AFCON tournament in particular were earmarked as
major events that could trigger relatively broad tourism development opportunities for the
province. Such earmarking occurred against a backdrop of the province being found to be
largely disappointing in terms of performance, as seen from the perspective of international
tourism. Currently, the province only manages to attract approximately 5% of the
international visitors who come to South Africa, in terms of tourism performance.
The above-mentioned events could, therefore, serve as catalysts for tourism development
when capitalized on.
Sport tourism serves to extend the concept of sport to leisure holiday activities,
subsequently leading to the development of complementary services and products. Sport
tourism has enhanced the experience of sport travel by encouraging the development of
associated cultural aspects that have gone far to further the benefits to be derived from the
travel and stay concept.
Sport tourism is one of the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry,
considering that it is relatively new. This niche market, especially in terms of the hosting of
sport tourism events, has gained increasing attention in recent years, especially as a tool for
urban development and regeneration. Major and megaevents, in particular, present host
cities with a number of tangible and intangible benefits, especially when such events are
well planned.

Sport tourism serves to extend the concept of sport to leisure holiday activities,
subsequently leading to the development of complementary services and products. It has
enhanced the experience of sport travel by encouraging the development of associated
cultural aspects that have gone far to further the benefits to be derived from the travel and
stay concept.
Globally, sport tourism is one of the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry,
albeit considering that it is relatively new as a point of focus in destination planning for
developing countries. Especially in terms of the hosting of sport tourism events, it has
gained increasing attention in recent years, especially as a tool for urban development and
regeneration.
Major and mega-events, in particular, present host cities with a number of Some of the
benefits include,
• Opportunities for a country and its host cities to engage in the high-profile
promotion of their products on a global scale,
• Development of international standard sporting facilities and related infrastructure
upgrades,
• Gaining a head start for the bidding for other major events.
• The learning of useful lessons by governments, sporting bodies and business sector
stakeholders, which can assist in the further development of local sport tourism sectors,
• The chance to expand the traditional sport tourism and to reach relatively large
audiences
• The developing countries have, in the past, specifically targeted the hosting of sport
events, in the belief that such events will fast-track development in the key economic areas
like infrastructure, and present tourism benefits for the host cities, as well as, ultimately,
lead to the maintenance of a sustainable sport tourism sector in the countries concerned.
However not all destinations have the ability to host major and mega-events, because some
lack the capacity to host such events, besides which mixed results have been obtained
regarding the cost benefit analysis of such mega-events, especially in the developing
context.
The promotion of sport tourism is seen as a strategic development objective for the
respective governments concerned. Overview of sport tourism in South Africa in terms of
South Africa, sport tourism has been identified as a unique niche product and that sport
tourism in the country in question has not always lived up to its true potential, partially due
to the sanctions that were placed thereon during the apartheid years.
Consequently, the South African government has largely encouraged the provision of
facilities, training, marketing, and the promotion of the sport tourism segment of the overall
tourism industry nationwide. South Africa has identified the development of sport tourism
as being a possible means of forging a national identity, as well as of serving as a catalyst for
the economic growth and development of the country as a whole.
Of all domestic tourism in South Africa, 4% is made up of sport tourism, while approximately
10% of all international visitors come to the country either to watch, or to participate in, a
sport event (Swart & Bob, 2007). They suggest that, for the country to have a
comprehensive sport tourism strategy, the promotion of a wider range than at present of
sport tourism products and opportunities to maximize the obtaining of socio economic gains
should be considered.
South Africa has emerged as one of the leading sport tourism destinations in the world,
with the country having recently hosted a number of sport events, ranging from small-scale,
recurring events, right up to major and once-off events ( 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996
African Nations Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, the
annual Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Two Oceans Marathon, and the annual Durban July and
Comrades Marathon, among other events, as being some of the most prominent sport
tourism events hosted by the country.
The hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was seen as an ideal opportunity for
leveraging commitment from various stakeholders and with which to begin the process of
formulating a strategy for sport tourism development in the country, and for related
development in the host cities. Accordingly, the hosting of the 2013 AFCON tournament was
seen as a perfect opportunity for furthering the momentum provided by the FIFA World
Cup.
Both aforesaid events provided the country with the ideal platform for strategizing in terms
of the nation’s long-term sport tourism goals and objectives, and for developing a relatively
wide range of holistic sport tourism products.
sport events are positioned as strategic investments that should benefit the economies and
social lives of their communities

SOCIAL ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS OF SPORTS TOURISM

Economic Benefits
Sports tourism is a powerful driver for economic impact. Sport and Tourism are two driving
forces for the promotion and sustainable economic development of tourism destinations.

When a developing country hosts a sporting event, this encourages economic development
and tourism, The spill over effects of sports tourism is huge. Local providers such as hotels,
restaurants, entertainment, and attractions also benefit from the influx of tourists visiting
their country and boosting their economy. The hosting country will have to invest in
supporting infrastructure and new developments of facilities but this further adds to the
economic and social development of a country by having professional facilities. Having these
largescale commercial properties developed enhances the country in many ways, creating
construction and engineering jobs as well as maintenance jobs for locals. These
developments create opportunities for locals to participate in sports and enjoy a world-class
experience in their home country. For example, the Olympics in Rio Brazil attracted millions
of tourists not to mention all the people watching on TV at home and wishing to one day
visit the beautiful country of Brazil. There are long-term benefits of hosting a sporting event
and participating fully.
The economic impacts of sport tourism include:

• Provision of temporary and permanent job,

• Increasing cash flow in the community within and sometimes beyond the period of
the event
• Improving standard of living
• Attracting new investments to host community and encouraging local
entrepreneurship
• Contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.
• Foreign Exchange earnings

Tourism is being one of the world’s largest industries and contributes directly and indirectly
to the global economy. The rapid expansion of sports tourism has led to significant
employment creation. From hotel managers to theme park operatives to cleaners, tourism
creates many employment opportunities. Tourism supports some
7% of the world’s workers.
There are two types of employment in the tourism industry: direct and indirect. Direct
employment includes jobs that are immediately associated with the sports tourism industry.
This might include hotel staff, restaurant staff or taxi drivers, to name a few.
Indirect employment includes jobs which are not technically based in the tourism industry,
but are related to the tourism industry. Take a fisherman, for example. He does not have
any contact of dealings with tourists. BUT he does

SOCIAL BENEFITS OF SPORTS TOURISM

There are many social benefits of tourism, demonstrating positive social impacts. These
might include;
• Preserving the local culture and heritage;
• strengthening communities
• commercialization of culture and art
• revitalization of customs and art forms
• preservation of heritage.

Preserving Local Culture

It is the local culture that the tourists are often coming to visit.
Tourists visit Beijing to learn more about the Chinese Dynasties. Tourists visit
Thailand to taste authentic Thai food. Tourists travel to Brazil to go to the Rio
Carnival, to mention a few…
Many destinations will make a conserved effort to preserve and protect the local culture.
This often contributes to the conservation and sustainable management of natural
resources, the protection of local heritage, and a renaissance of indigenous cultures, cultural
arts and crafts.

Strengthening Communities
Tourism can be a catalyst for strengthening a local community. Events and festivals of which
local residents have been the primary participants and spectators are often rejuvenated and
developed in response to tourist interest.

The jobs created by tourism can also be a great boost for the local community. Aside from
the economic impacts created by enhanced employment prospects, people with jobs are
happier and more social than those without a disposable income.
Local people can also increase their influence on tourism development, as well as improve
their job and earnings prospects, through tourism-related professional training and
development of business and organizational skills.

Sports tourism can improve Quality of Life for those who live in the area.
o hosting quality events increases community engagement. o Venues, trails, green spaces,
water ways, and other recreation assets that draw tourists also benefit locals.
• Recreation communities have higher property values.
o As quality of life improves, increased property values follow in 'recreation
communities.'2
• Recreation communities improve job opportunities.
o Areas with recreation attract more residents with higher incomes and faster earnings
growth than areas without.3
• Sports tourism promotes and increases exposure for host destinations.
o Sports events act as marketing platforms, promoting the host destination and
creating exposure through myriad media channels. o Sports events draw visitors who
otherwise may not have considered visiting - and often brings them back again. Of parents
traveling for youth sports, almost 60% return to the destination for vacations and 74%
recommend the destination to others.4

The tourism industry requires many facilities/ infrastructures to meet the needs of the
tourist. This often means that many developments in an area as a result of tourism will be
available for use by the locals also.
Local people often gained new roads, new sewage systems, new playgrounds, bus services
etc. as a result of tourism. This can provide a great boost to their quality of life and is a great
example of a positive social impact of tourism.
Commercialisation of Culture and Art
Tourism can see rise to many commercial businesses, which can be a positive social impact
of tourism. This helps to enhance the community spirit as people tend to have more
disposable income as a result.
These businesses may also promote the local cultures and arts. Museums, shows and
galleries are fantastic way to showcase the local customs and traditions of a destination.
This can help to promote/ preserve local traditions.

Revitalising of Culture and Art

Some destinations will encourage local cultures and arts to be revitalized. This may be in the
form of museum exhibitions, in the way that restaurants and shops are decorated and in the
entertainment on offer, for example. This may help promote traditions that may have
become distant.

Preservation of Heritage
Many tourists will visit the destination specially to see its local heritage. It is for this reason
that many destinations will make every effort to preserve its heritage. This could include
putting restrictions in place or limiting tourist numbers, if necessary. This is often an
example of careful tourism planning and sustainable tourism management.
This text by Hyung You Park explains the principles of heritage tourism in more detail.

Negative social impacts of Sports tourism

Unfortunately, there are a large number of socio-cultural costs on the host communities.
These negative social impacts include; social change; changing values; increased crime and
gambling; changes in moral behavior; changes in family structure and roles; problems with
the tourist-host relationship and the destruction of heritage.

Social change is basically referring to changes in the way that society acts or behaves.
Unfortunately, there are many changes that come about as a result of tourism that are not
desirable.
There are many examples throughout the world where local populations have changed
because of tourism.
Perhaps they have changed the way that they speak or the way that they dress. Perhaps
they have been introduced to alcohol through the tourism industry or they have become
resentful of rich tourists and turned to crime. These are just a few examples of the negative
social impacts of tourism.

Globalisation and the Destruction of Preservation and Heritage way in which the world is
becoming increasingly connected. We are losing our individuality and gaining a sense of
‘global being’, whereby we are more and more alike than ever before.
Globalization is inevitable in the tourism industry because of the interaction between
tourists and hosts, which typically come from different geographic and cultural
backgrounds. It is this interaction that encourage us to become more alike.

Loss of Authenticity

Along similar lines to globalization are the loss of authenticity that often results from
tourism.
Authenticity is essentially something that is original or unchanged. It is not fake or
reproduced in any way.

Standardisation and Commercialisation

Similarly, destinations risk standardization in the process of satisfying tourists’ desires for
familiar facilities and experiences.
While landscape, accommodation, food and drinks, etc., must meet the tourists’ desire for
the new and unfamiliar, they must at the same time not be too new or strange because few
tourists are actually looking for completely new things. Tourists often look for recognizable
facilities in an unfamiliar environment, like well-known fast-food restaurants and hotel
chains. Tourist like some things to be standardized (the toilet, their breakfast, their drinks,
the language spoken etc.), but others to be different (dinner options, music, weather,
tourist attractions etc.). Sports tourism industry stakeholders should proceed with caution
when it comes to ‘standardization’.

Culture clashes

Another negative social impact of tourism that can have significant consequences is culture
clashes.
Because tourism involves movement of people to different geographical locations cultural
clashes can take place as a result of differences in cultures, ethnic and religious groups,
values, lifestyles, languages and levels of prosperity.
The attitude of local residents towards tourism development may unfold through the stages
of euphoria, where visitors are very welcome, through apathy, irritation and potentially
antagonism when anti-tourist attitudes begin to grow among local people.

Tourist-host relationships

Culture clashes can also be exasperated by the fundamental differences in culture between
the hosts and the tourists.
There is likely to be economic inequality between locals and tourists who are spending more
than they usually do at home. This can cause resentment from the hosts towards the
tourists, particularly when they see them wearing expensive jeweler or using plush cameras
etc. that they know they can’t afford themselves. Further to this, tourists often, out of
ignorance or carelessness, fail to respect local customs and moral values.

Increase in crime, gambling and moral behaviour

Crime rates typically increase with the growth and urbanization of an area and the growth
of mass tourism is often accompanied by increased crime.
The presence of a large number of tourists with a lot of money to spend and often carrying
valuables such as cameras and jeweler increases the attraction for criminals and brings with
it activities like robbery and drug dealing.
Lastly, gambling is a common occurrence as a result of tourism. Growth of casinos and other
gambling facilities can encourage not only the tourists to part with their cash, but also the
local population.

INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS OF SPORTS TOURISM

Sports tourism is a kind of sustainable tourism that increases the welfare of local people,
has positive social effects and increases the marketing power of destinations. Local people
will benefit from the infrastructure established for sports tourism and thus the sports
culture of the society will be developed.
Infrastructure includes air, ground, port and tourism services like hotel rooms and car rental
services which play a vital role in travel and tourism competitiveness, serving as the arteries
of the industry.

Air transport infrastructure is one of the most improved components with strong growth
across most regions, subregions and economic development levels. However, much of this
performance has come from growing route capacity and the number of carriers operating.
while most recent airport density figures indicate slightly reduced airport access than
before. These results potentially indicate that travel demand and airline growth may
eventually outstrip hard-infrastructure capacity

Infrastructure boosts tourism development by raising the attractiveness and

competitiveness of a destination. Tourists usually expect facilities in their chosen destination
to be comparable to what they enjoy at home. Therefore, good infrastructure in a
destination pulls demand for its products.

LOYALTY OF THE AUDIENCE

A competitor who offers the same experience but who also makes customers feel special,
and who thereby over-delivers on the expectations will be favored. In the tourism industry,
customer loyalty is for those who know how to surprise, bond and satisfy their customers
the best.

• Understanding active sport tourists’ profiles and nurturing their destination loyalty
are important considerations in the tourism market. Loyal tourists are valuable because they
tend to revisit a focal destination and elicit positive word-of-mouth.
• The return and re-demand of tourists depends on their satisfaction with destination.
Their satisfaction, in turn, will increase the loyalty of them to destination
7 ways to increase loyalty and turn customers into fans

The importance of customer loyalty

In sports tourism, customers are the most important component, as no customers means no
business. Loyal customers need to become a key element in your operations to be good in
business. If you are successful in increasing customer loyalty, your business will benefit for a
long time. A loyal customer or even a fan will promote your business better than any
marketing campaign. The more loyal they feel to your business, the more likely they will
recommend you.

1. Deliver excellent customer service

To keep your customers happy and to have them come back, make your customer service a
priority. Customers will judge every interaction they have with your business and each of
these interactions will be evaluated. From the first up to the last contact moment, your
business and employees need to be on its best behavior. Both offline and online. Take a
moment to observe your services from your customers viewpoint.
Customer service is to make life of customers easier and remove obstacles.

Key points are:

• Personal interaction
• A fast response time to questions and inquires (within a few hours)
• Friendly and helpful employees
•
To prevent mistakes and complaints from happening, keep track of any past problems and
communication to learn from in the future.

2. Tailor your products to your ideal customer

Personal relations with your customers are everything. Your customers should be attracted
to your offer and tempted to book their trip with you.
To create your loyal customer, write down where they are from, what they are interested in,
what they value, what kind of experiences they are looking for, and how they are spending
their time online and offline. Knowing your ideal customer makes running your business
easier as you know who you are doing it for.

3. Set clear expectations for your customers

You will never have repeated and loyal customers if you didn’t meet their expectations.
Therefore, it’s important to set clear expectations and to communicate this visibly. Make
sure customers know what to expect from you in terms of response time, what’s included in
tours and what’s not, and never make things bigger than they are. Don’t promise things you
are not always able to keep or control.

Delivering what your customers have paid for, is not enough to build customer loyalty. A
competitor who offers the same experience but who also makes customers feel special, and
who thereby over-delivers on the expectations will be favored. In the tourism industry,
customer loyalty is for those who know how to surprise, bond and satisfy their customers
the best.

4. Reward your customers and show them you care

One of the best ways to create repeating customers is to reward them for coming back.
Customers want to feel valued. By offering them rewards for booking with you again, they
will feel special and become more loyal to your business.

Some of the ways to reward your customers are by offering them,

• Company merchandise
• A complimentary activity
• A bottle of champagne
• A discount voucher for their next trip
• A personalised thank you card
All these are greatly valued and shows customers you care about them.

5. Ask for feedback and act upon it

When working hard on attracting new customers, it’s easy to overlook your existing ones. In
order to improve your business and to attract repeating customers, you need to keep up
with the motivations and needs of your customers. How did they experience your tours and
services? What can you do better next time and what did they miss in their experience?
The best way to find out what your customers want, without thinking on their behalf, is to
conduct a satisfaction survey. The outcome will provide you with direct and valuable
feedback from your target group. Customer views will help you identify trends and pro-
actively solve problems. Tell your customers you are reading their feedback and that you act
upon it. Show them you value their opinions and encourage them to speak their mind.

6. Ensure a committed team of employees

Your employees play an important role in customer satisfaction and loyalty. They are key
players in representing your business and main contact persons for your customers. To
ensure internal business harmony, build a committed team of employees who understand
your business mission, vision and goals. Communicate your expectations and clearly define
roles and responsibilities.

Happy employees are better employees, so don’t forget to invest in internal training and
development opportunities, to share success and to give them a say. Committed employees
will already be fans of your business and use this enthusiasm to promote your business to
(potential) customers and to forge more personal relationships. A team of committed
employees makes all the difference in attracting new and returning customers.

7. Be transparent and show responsibility

As sustainable and green practices become more and more important in the customer’s
decision-making process, they care more about what businesses stand for. Modern
customers are looking for transparent and responsible tour operators to travel with. They
want to do good while travelling and are interested in contributing to a better world.

Offer unique experiences

In the end, the entity that matters most in building customer loyalty, is to offer them a
unique experience. You can have the best customer service and helpful employees, ask for
feedback and reward repeating customers, but if your experience is not satisfying enough,
customers will not come back. Improving customer loyalty is all about delivering an
experience that wants them to come back for more.

EMERGENCE OF THE LEGACIES

Within the context of special events, legacy is most often recognized as the longterm or
permanent outcomes for a host city from staging an event. These outcomes include
potential economic, tourism, social, physical, and/or environmental factors.

In the context of sports events, legacies encompass a variety of positive benefits and
negative impacts which might accrue as a result of a sporting event taking place. They may
also be felt by a variety of stakeholders including participants, local businesses, the host
community and the host destination. A sports event will affect people in different ways.
Some of the legacies associated with sports events.
• Examining the economic impacts of sports events like increased tourism budgets;
new source markets; increased urban tourism; sport tourism development; improvements
of travel services; and repeat visitation.
• Physical infrastructure legacies
• Exploring the cultural and social impacts of sports events
• Community legacies of sports related events
• Human impacts, including education, youth, inclusion, and sports participation issues
associated with sports events (especially amongst young people)
• Sport volunteering and skills legacies that are developed at sports events
• Leveraging the benefits of sports events
• image enhancement legacies
• Safety and security issues at sports events
• Political impacts and international relations at sporting events
• Sustainability and green Issues associated with sports events (examining how sports
events are incorporating green issues or responding to the sustainability agenda).
.
Events legacies have become a common feature in the public policy rhetoric surrounding
sport events of all sizes. Public policy planners and event organizers are increasingly
promoting the legacies of sport events to justify significant investments required to host
them.

How Does Sports Tourism Translate into a Legacy?

If the sports event makes a longer-lasting and farther-reaching reputation, something that
the event makes through the positive feedback, reviews, and engagement from the sports
tourists and your community, it starts to make more sense. “Legacy”, in this context, is your
brand and sports event lasting impact on your sports tourists, the community, and how you
affect the general perception of sports event. Hosting Major sporting events creates a legacy
beyond the event itself.

Having an Active Engagement in Your Community

The final foundational element of your sports tourism legacy is actively engaging with what
is happening in your community. If there are other sporting events, take note of their
success and popularity, and consider ways you can capitalize, and even cooperate with
other organizations conducting these sports events. If you combine this with great sense of
loyalty, trust and open communication you can sustain it and this event becomes your
legacy.

SPORTS TOURISM BRANDING VALUE

One of the key motives’ communities have for hosting events is to build their brand (Jago et
al., 2003). Events are co-branded with their host destination. Frequently, tour and activity
operators of Sports tourism lose sight of their brand when they rely heavily on Online Travel
Agents (OTAs) for bookings. Although these channels help to expand your reach, they don’t
necessarily do your brand justice. That’s because you’re just another listing on their site —
meaning you get absorbed into their brand identity instead.
Think of it this way. A traveler who books your tours and activities on TripAdvisor
encounters the TripAdvisor brand throughout the booking journey — not yours.
Consequently, they don’t get much of a chance to become familiar with your business.
When it comes to referrals or repeat bookings, they’ll remember TripAdvisor, but will have a
harder time recalling your name.
Here are the here are four main reasons why building a brand is important.
Branding gets more bookings
1. When your tour and activity company for Sports tourist bookings look polished and
legitimate, sports tourists will be more likely to book with you. That’s because professional
translates to trustworthy. With a unique brand voice and beautiful brand design, you’ll
make your business stand out as the best option for a safe and unforgettable experience.
2. Branding improves recognition
Without a doubt, your brand is the face of your business. Sports Tourists won’t just
remember your name, but your logo as well. So, whenever they interact with you —
whether it’s browsing your website, reading your emails, or seeing your Facebook ads —
they’ll be able to recognize your business instantly.
3. Branding makes you memorable
Many thinks of branding as a logo and a slogan. But it’s so much more than that. From start
to finish, a brand is a visual, emotional, and tangible experience that you create for your
sports tourists. When you get this right, sports tourists will remember for a long time — not
just a couple of weeks after the tour or activity. And those that think of you will be loyal to
you.
4. Branding increases your value
Brand equity is the value of your brand name. Having a well-known brand name will help
establish your company as a leader in your niche and give your business a boost for further
expansion — like opening up a tour office in another location. Since brand equity is all about
brand recognition, you can increase your value by building a stronger brand and delivering
consistent exposure — which brings us to the next section

How to create a memorable Sports Tourist

Instead of targeting a huge customer base, try thinking of fresh business ideas in Sports
tourism and hospitality, and narrowing your focus on a particular niche as it can give you a
competitive edge and improve your online visibility.
Here are some of the steps to build a better brand value:
1. Craft your brand story

Every business has a backstory. Tourism business starts from passion —Passion for sports,
the destination, or the community.
Knowing why you started will help to uncover your brand values — which are the building
blocks of a compelling brand story. By writing them out and sharing publicly, you’ll have
principles to guide your business decisions, as well as a reference point to build trust and
credibility.
To dig deeper into your company’s purpose, ask yourself the following questions:
1. How did you start your Sports tour and activity business?
2. Where’d you get the idea? What inspired you?
3. How is your company different from your competitors?
4. What does your sports tour and activity business strive to do?
5. What makes your team outstanding?
Work these answers into your brand story to tell who you are as an operator and what sets
you apart. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be lengthy — brief is best. Nor does it have
to be perfect; authenticity goes a long way.
2. Identify your target audience
It’s easier to match your brand to your target audience than the other way around.
Depending on your offerings, you might already appeal to a particular group of people —
different types of travelers like different types of travel experiences. So, branding before
knowing your target audience could lead to something that doesn’t make any sense.
Who’s most likely to book your tours and activities then? Where are they from, how old are
they, what’s their lifestyle, interests, and personality? These are just a few examples of
demographic, physiographic, and geographic attributes you should consider.
Use this information to create a brand identity that your target audience will strongly
identify with. You can also use it to gain insight into their communication style, preferred
method of booking, and where they hang out online. All of which can help you with your
marketing efforts.
3.Align with your destination brand

Destination brand is a shared vision that aims to generate visitor interest by promising a
unique travel experience based on everything a place offers. Usually, a Destination
Marketing Organization (DMO) builds the destination brand and provides direction for local
businesses to follow suit.
Take Ireland as an example. Most travelers visit the Emerald Isle for the pub culture, castle
hopping, and traditional folklore. So Tourism Ireland promotes it as a destination to “fill your
heart.” This brand position makes new visitors believe they’ll have heart-warming moments
while also giving tour and activity operators insight into what they want out of their trip.
Visitors arrive with preset expectations thanks to it, and naturally, book things to do that
match. If you deliver on what they’re looking for, they’ll have a positive and memorable
experience — which impacts their perception of the destination, as well as your business.
4. Figure out your brand voice and tone
Your personality, attitude, and values shine through when you communicate with others.
The same applies to your sports tour and activity business. Every written message —
whether online or offline — reveals your company’s characteristics and mission. That’s
known as your brand voice.
A clear and distinct brand voice helps to position yourself in the marketplace and associate
with your target audience. However, it’s got to be the same across all channels to be
effective. Being sassy on social media but helpful on the blog only makes readers confused
— which means they won’t get an accurate picture of your business.
On the other hand, your tone of voice is interchangeable because it reflects your mood. Its
purpose is to have an emotional impact on the reader based on the context of the message.
For example, a serious tone works well for a payment request whereas a booking
confirmation is better off sounding joyful.
To figure out your brand voice and tone, start by:
• Reviewing your company’s mission statement and values
• Looking at your current content for common themes
• Considering how your target audience communicates
• Evaluating your destination’s brand messaging
Whatever you come up with, break it down into three or four words. These will be your
primary voice characteristics for all of your messaging. You can further describe your brand
voice in a content style guide with the dos and don’ts of writing accordingly. As for the tone,
you have a little more flexibility with its use, but it shouldn’t stray too far from your brand
voice.
5. Give your sports travel brand a makeover
It is important to put together a look for your sports tour and activity business. From a
memorable logo to unique typography, you get to make your brand pop while giving your
sports tourists a great first impression.
Visual elements also contribute the most to brand recognition. For example, when someone
thinks of Google, the first thing that comes to mind is the primary colors. In the tourism
industry, Contiki stands out to young travelers with imagery that plays on the Fear of
Missing Out (FOMO). Here are some of the important things for brand design to get noticed.
• Logo: This is the foundation of your brand identity because it goes everywhere — on
your website, social media, merchandise, promotional materials, and more. Whether it’s a
logomark or logotype, the design should be simple, memorable, timeless, and accurately
symbolize your company’s mission and culture.
• Typography: Believe it or not, fonts come with personality traits. While Serif fonts
(Arial, Verdana) come across as reliable and mature, Modern fonts (Impact, Rockwell) give
off a bold and progressive vibe. Knowing this, you can use a specific font to influence how
guests perceive your business.
• Colour Palette: Similar to fonts, colours have an emotional impact on people. For
instance, red means passion, green is natural and blue goes with trust. With the right mix of
colours, you can reveal a lot about your business while making your guests feel a certain
way.
• Imagery: Photos and videos show the kind of experiences you offer. But images also
engage and inspire viewers — helping them picture having the experience, too. That’s why
you should use imagery wherever you can

6. Build consistency into your tour website

The tour website is a digital storefront, and the face of your company. Online visitors go
there seeking more information about your sports tours and activities. While doing so, they
get a clear picture of who you are as a business, too.
For this reason, it’s important to have brand consistency throughout. That means every
page should resemble the other. From the look to voice to feel, your brand should be
apparent no matter where someone clicks.
YOUTH AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
How Sports Tourism Benefits Communities

Long-term Impacts of Sports Tourism

Sports tourism involves traveling to a different city to participate in or watch a sporting
event. Whether the event is the world cup, a city-wide marathon, or a small-town football
game, sports tourism can have huge effects on a community. Although it isn’t always
immediate or obvious, the effects of sports tourism are long-lasting, which is why so many
countries, such as Brazil, are chosen to host large-scale sporting events like the Olympics
and the World Cup. The following are some ways sports tourism can benefit your
community.
Sports Tourists Bring in Money
When someone travels to a different city for a sporting event, they are likely to spend
money. They will need lodging which brings revenue to local hotels, and food which brings
revenue to local restaurants. Sports tourism also brings revenue to your sports facility as
tourists purchase tickets and concessions. To remember their trip, sports tourists may
purchase t-shirts, customized apparel, and other memorabilia, bringing revenue to local
designers and apparel producers. By hosting a sporting event, you can have an economic
impact on your community.
Sports Tourism Leads to Other Tourism
Although sports tourists come for the sporting event, they may take the time to visit other
attractions in your city and experience the local culture and history. Afterwards, word-of-
mouth or social media posts about your city can attract other tourists. Increased tourism
certainly occurred with Olympic host cities like Athens, Beijing, and Rio de Janeiro, but the
effect can work on a smaller scale. If your city is hoping to boost tourism, consider hosting a
large sporting event to start the buzz.
Sports Tourism is Great PR
Sports tourism can also function as a public relations tool for your community. If sports
tourists enjoyed their time in your city, they may speak highly of it to their friends and
family. Overall, this boosts the reputation of your community in the public eye. When you
improve your community’s reputation, you increase your chances of people and businesses
moving to your city. Public relations are another reason why developing countries have
been chosen to host the Olympics or the World Cup. Sporting events are a chance to open
up to the world and showcase a country’s development and culture. Through good public
relations, these countries can open the door for long-term benefits. Once again, this effect
can occur on a smaller scale for your community.

Positive image projection of a destination

Sports events such as Olympic events or soccer or any sports events can be considered as a
powerful tourist attraction making a very positive contribution to the tourism image of the
host destination. It can enhance a destination image by expanding the destination tourism
offer. This helps to increase the length of stay and spending of visitors.
Sports tourism helps to build sustainable development
Tourism and sports are interrelated and complementary. Sports – as a professional, amateur
or leisure activity – involves a considerable amount of traveling to play and compete in
different destinations and countries. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games,
football and rugby championships have become powerful tourism attractions in themselves
– making a very positive contribution to the tourism image of the host destination.
Sports tourism helps people from diverse backgrounds from all over the world to interact
with each other through sports activities. It can foster friendships and mutual understanding
which also helps in building a positive image.
Sport event tourism is a huge and growing global industry with important economic
implications for both the sport, the event and the impact of travel and tourism related
benefits on host destinations. A primary function of a sport event is to provide the host
community with an opportunity to secure high prominence in the tourism market place.
However, international or regional prominence may be gained with significant social and
environmental costs. Hosting sport events has been a focus of destination marketers as a
strategy to enhance its destination image and differentiate its tourism products.
Communities are attracted to hosting sport events to draw marketing benefits that will
contribute to the success of the destination in the long run by creating awareness,
improving their image with visitors and attracting tourism business to generate future
inbound travel. As such, destination images can be influenced by the hosting of a sport
event and the attributes associated with this event
INTEGRATION OF SPORTS INTO SOCIETY
Sports in all forms of physical activity which go through casual or organized participation aim
to use, maintain or imorove physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants.
What is integration- It is the act or process of combining two or more things so that they
work together.
Sports as a tool for integration more than just being about discipline and confidence, games
bring the people together regardless of their background.
Sports in all forms of physical activities contribute o fitness, mental well being and social
interaction. They incude play, recreation, organized casual or competitive sports. Sports is
all about inclusion. It brings individuals and communitis together, highlighting
commonalities and bridging cultural or ethnic divide. The ability of sports to bring
togethermakes ita powerful communication tool. Sports provides a forum to learn skills such
as discipline, confidence and leadership and core principles such as acceptance, cooperation
and respect. It helps us to manage victory as well as defeat sports helps in reducing the
likelihoof pf mnay diseases arising from sedentary and inactive lifestyle.
Sports programmes are effective tools for social mobilization, supporting health activities
and they can provide employment and contribute to local development. They encourage
volunteerismand can be utilized to sprearhead non- governmental changes. Sports can cut
across barriers that divide societies, making thenma powerful tool to support confict
resolution and peacebuilding efforts. Sport programmes promote social intergration and
foster tolerance , help reduce tolerance, help reduce tension and generate dialogue. The
concept of Sports for all is central to the understanding of sports.
Many of the core values in sports are compatible with the principle necessary for
development and peace, such as fairplay, cooperation, sharing and respect. The lifeskills
learned through sports help empower individuals and enhance pysco-social well being such
as increased resilence, self esteem and connection with others.
The features of sports are beneficial to people of all ages but they are important to the
healthy development of young people who will inherit position of power and responsibilities
in government organization . sports are valuable tools to initiate social development and
improve social cohension when social and personal skills are combined, sports can be an
effective medium to intervene in a persons ability to decide whether to abuse or not abuse
drugs.
Sports can tackle causes of juvenile crime by helping youth’s male positive connection with
adults and their peers, by intergrating them into construction activities within society
Sports tends to integrate persons with disabilities into society , providing an arena for
positive social interaction, reducing isolation and breaking down prejudices. Sports
programmes for the disabled are cost-effective methods of rehabilitation. They help
improve motor skills, increase mobility , self confidence and make you self sufficient.

Sports bring people a sense of accomplishment and unity. When playing a sport you have to
communicate with team members and coaches. Communication is important for unity.
Sports is always a tool for integration as it brings many people together. For example,
Olympics as the world cup games have the same A,G,O(AIM’s, Goals, Objectives) and unite
the human all around the world.
“Sport for All” campaign is a big well-known event in the world. It provides sport for all
human beings to participate in sport. Humans for all around the world can gather together
to play sports or games. As a result integration of human formed indirectly.

For example, in Malaysia sports has a function as a tool of integration. These national sports
events bring all the Malaysian together to enjoy the event and play together without looking
at the races or religion.
Major Sporting Events

• National Basketball Association

• 9. Formula One Racing
• 8. Rugby World Cup
• 7. Tour de France Cycling
• 6. Wimbledon Tennis
• 5. Super Bowl
• 4. Cricket World Cup
• 3. The UEFA Champions League
• 2. Olympic Games
• 1. FIFA World Cup

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is widely considered to be the premier men’s
professional basketball league in the world. It is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB),
which is recognized by FIBA as the national governing body for basketball in the United
States. The NBA is one of the 4 major North American professional sports leagues. NBA
players are the world’s best paid sportsmen, by average annual salary per player. The league
was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946 as the Basketball Association of America
(BAA).
Formula One is a truly global sport with many race tracks around the world all the way from
Monaco to Singapore. A Formula One race or Grand Prix is a sporting event which takes
place over three days (usually Friday to Sunday), with a series of practice and qualifying
sessions prior to a race on Sunday. The Brazilian Grand Prix is one of the most memorable
events as it has seen a multitude of tight races.
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organized by the
International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987. The current model of
Tournament features twenty nations competing over a month in the host nation. There are
two stages, a group and a knock-out. The winners are awarded the William Webb Ellis Cup.
New Zealand are the current holders, having won the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
The hosts for 2019 will be Japan.
The Tour de France is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while
also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. The race was first organized in
1903 to increase paper sales for the magazine “Lautoka” it is currently run by the Amaury
Sport Organization. The Tour originally ran around the perimeter of France. Cycling was an
endurance sport and the organizers realized the sales they would achieve by creating
supermen of their competitors. The modern Tour typically has 21 daily stages and not more
than 3,500 km. The shortest and longest Tours were 2,428 and 5,745 km in 1904 and 1926,
respectively.
The 6th of the greatest sport events is Wimbledon. Also is the oldest tennis tournament in
the world. That makes it the most prestigious event in tennis. It has been held at the All-
England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis
tournaments, the other three majors being the Australian Open, French Open and US Open.
Wimbledon is the only Major still played on grass, the game’s original surface, which gave
the game its original name of “lawn tennis”. Wimbledon probably has the biggest following
because it is soaked in history and tradition.
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the
highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season
that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year.
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of cricket of men’s
One Day International (ODI) cricket and T 20 Cricket. The event is organized by the
International Cricket Council (ICC), with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a
finals tournament which is held every four years (ODI) and after every two years T 20. The
tournament is the world’s fourth-largest and fourth-most-viewed sporting event. The first
Cricket World Cup (ODI) contest was organized in England in 1975, and T 20 in South Africa
in 2007.
The UEFA Champions League originally known as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup or
European Cup. It is an annual continental club football competition organized by the Union
of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It
is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Also, it is the most prestigious club
competition in European football.
The most popular sport in the world is Football, or soccer. The world’s best soccer leagues
are in Europe and once a year the two best European clubs square off in the biggest
association football match of the year. It’s the Super Bowl of soccer, except it features the
two best teams in the continent, possibly the world, rather than just one country.
Olympic Games are a major international event. It is one of the greatest sport events. It
features summer and winter sports in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of
competitions. The Olympic Games are considered to be the world’s foremost sports
competition with more than 200 nations participating.
The Games are currently held biennially, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games
alternating, meaning they each occur every four years. Over 13,000 athletes compete at the
Summer and Winter Olympics in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. The first, second,
and third place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals: gold, silver, and bronze,
respectively. The Olympic Games over the past 50 years the costliest Games have been
London 2012 (USD14.8 billion), Barcelona 1992 (USD11.4 billion), and Montreal 1976 (USD6
billion). Through the first weekend, NBC averaged a 19.2 rating and 35.8 million viewers.
That’s the most viewers since the Olympics started being shown on television in 1960, when
the Games were played in Rome. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 30.6 million people
witnessed the events of the first two days.
The greatest sport events FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup. It is an international
association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the
members of Federation International de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global
governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural
tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second
World War. The last champions are Germany, who won the 2014 tournament. The current
format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title. Almost half the world
tuned in at home to watch 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

EFFECTS OF TOURISM
Tourism has three major impacts namely, Socio-cultural, environmental and economic
impacts.
SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT OF SPORTS TOURISM
Sports tourism may have many different effects on the social and cultural aspects of life in a
particular region or area, depending on the cultural and religious strengths of that region.
The interaction between sports tourists and the host community can be one of the factors
that may affect a community as a sports tourist may not be sensitive to local customs,
traditions and standards. The effect can be positive or negative on the host community.
Positive impacts on an area include benefits such as:
Local community can mix with people from diverse backgrounds with different lifestyles
which through ‘demonstration effect’ may lead to the development of improved lifestyles
and practices from the tourists’ examples.
There can be an improvement in local life through better local facilities and infrastructure
(developed to sustain tourism) which could lead to better education, health care,
employment opportunities and income.
More cultural and social events available for local people such as entertainment, exhibitions
etc.
Conservation of local and cultural heritage of an area and rebirth of its crafts, architectural
traditions and ancestral heritage;
Urban areas which may be in decline can be revived and the movement of people from rural
areas to urban areas for employment may be reversed as jobs will be available in the
tourism industry.
Dubai is an ideal example of a tourist destination which has reaped the benefits of the
positive impact of development, on the socio-cultural aspects of in the country. As noticed,
considerable financial investment by both public and private sectors has resulted in
development of the existing infrastructure and to job creation. Archaeological and heritage
sites have been preserved, and local traditions are maintained. The hospitable culture of the
Arab world and acceptance of others’ lifestyles implying that tourists are welcomed but do
not threaten existing ways of life.However, Sports tourism may have negative effects on an
area, such as,
Existing infrastructure (roads, railways, health care provision) may not be able to cope with
the greater stress created by influx of people by tourism.
Local population’s activities and lifestyles may suffer intrusion from tourists leading to
resentment towards tourists.
The local population may copy lifestyles of tourists through the ‘demonstration effect’ and
the result could be loss to local customs and traditions as well as standards of behaviour.
Increased crime could develop through decline in moral values, leading to greed and
jealousy of wealthier visitors.
Traditional industries may be lost and local goods substituted by imported and mass-
produced goods which lack authenticity but appeal to a mass market.
Tourists may act in an anti-social manner which could cause offence to the local population.
Unless sufficient information is provided by the host nation and tourist providers on the
standards of behaviour expected in that area, local populations come to resent tourists and
act aggressively towards them.
Language barriers between the tourist and the host community which may create
communication problems.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SPORTS TOURISM
Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the
environment’s ability to cope with this use within the acceptable limits of change. It can put
enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution,
natural habitat loss, It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local
populations to compete for the use of critical resources.
The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to sports tourism.
However, tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex. It involves many activities
that can have adverse environmental effects. The negative impacts of tourism development
can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends.
On the other hand, tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the
environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to
raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of
natural areas and increase their economic importance.
Direct impact on natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, in the provision of
tourist facilities can be caused by the use of land for accommodation and other
infrastructure provision, and the use of building materials.
Water, and especially fresh water, is one of the most critical natural resources. The tourism
industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and
personal use of water by tourists. This can result in water shortages and degradation of
water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water.
Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel
wood collection and land clearing. For example, one trekking tourist in Nepal – and area
already suffering the effects of deforestation – can use four to five kilograms of wood a day.
In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions,
waste disposal is a serious problem and improper disposal can be a major despoiler of the
natural environment – rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides. Solid waste and littering can
degrade the physical appearance of the water and shoreline and cause the death of marine
animals.
Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested
land. Coastal wetlands are often drained and filled due to lack of more suitable sites for
construction of tourism facilities and infrastructure. These activities can cause severe
disturbance and erosion of the local ecosystem, even destruction in the long term.
Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2001
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF SPORTS TOURISM

Economic benefits and costs of tourism reach virtually everyone in the region in one way or
another.
Sports tourism’s economic impacts are an important consideration in state, regional and
community planning and economic development. Economic impacts are also important
factors in marketing and management decisions. Communities therefore need to
understand the relative importance of tourism to their region, including tourism’s
contribution to economic activity in the area.
Sports Tourism has a variety of economic impacts. Sports Tourists contribute to a
destination’s sales, profits, jobs, tax revenues, and income. Primary tourism sectors, such as
lodging, dining, transportation, amusements, and retail trade, are affected directly: most
other sectors are impacted by secondary effects.
Sports tourism with Its high growth and development rates, considerable volumes of foreign
currency inflows, infrastructure development, and introduction of new management and
educational experience actively affect various sectors of economy, which positively
contribute to the social and economic development of the country as a whole.
Sports events are becoming a major driver of economic development globally.
Sports tourism is a viable pathway for generating visitor spending and promoting a
destination’s local attractions and outlying districts.
Sports tourism is great for the economy as it generates economic impact through direct
spending into a community. It is a rapidly growing niche in the travel/tourism industry. As
sport tourism continues to gain momentum across the world, it opens up innovation
avenues which can help improve the quality of life in different communities
Sports tourism brings some significant benefits to the destinations that host events.
Economic boosts, both direct and indirect, are chief among these advantages.
Direct spending by sports tourists at host facilities, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment
venues stimulates the local economy. Jobs are created, and tax revenue is earned.
Notable sporting events may also improve the image of, and opportunities available in, the
areas in which the events are held. In turn, these areas attract future visitors and the money
they will spend—a desirable residual for many cities.
A prime example is the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. This historic home to international
cricket matches draws spectators from far-flung reaches during competitions.
Lords also capitalizes on a steady stream of visitors when the fields are dormant. Tourists
tour the stadium grounds, take in the adjacent cricket museum (the oldest of its kind in the
world), and purchase Lord’s memorabilia.
How does Sports Tourism increase employment?
The five ways by which Sport tourism increases employment opportunities are as follows;
• Employment opportunities in the Transportation industry increases with increase in
population due to sport tourism
• Employment opportunities in the Real estate and Hotel industry increases with
increase in population due to sport tourism
• Employment opportunities in the Food provision industry increases with increase in
population due to sport tourism
• Employment opportunities in the Sport training industry increases with increase in
population due to sport tourism
• Employment opportunities for casual workers (such as cleaners and drivers)
increases with increase in population due to sport tourism.
How does Development and national and regional businesses from Sports Tourism

National and local communities have realized the value of sport events as a strategy to
create awareness for their places and develop destination image (Dimanche, 2003), with
effectively promoting tourism potentials

Development is rapid in regions where sports tourism is moving. Because, the

employment and investments show a significant increase with the effects of sports tourism.
Sports tourism shows significant improvements parallel to the radical change in economic
and social areas. Today, tourism became a socio-economic event with its growing scope and
impact. Given the international dimension of sports tourism events, it is seen that an
important foreign exchange flows from developed to less developed areas in question. The
money flow occurs between the regions can contribute significantly to the financial support
it can be enjoyed by the local population as well as tourists who come to use them.’

Tourism is a sector with positive effects on regional development. It is an important

development tool that provides economic, social and political development in the region.
Because a region's tourism potential accelerates that the development of the region's multi-
faceted. Some of the regions, thanks to the development of the tourism sector, are growing
fast the fore, the existing tourism potential should be considered very well. Thus,
development in a region of tourism in rural or underdeveloped areas, can help eliminate
economic imbalances. In this context, in order to increase the contribution of tourism to the
local economy, the demand and the attractiveness for tourist attraction for the existing
tourism values should be increased. If more tourists can be attracted to the region by using
all the opportunities; employment, income and value-added are increased and sustainable
development can be performed.
Reinforce National identity and individuality

Sports and participating in sports competitions, especially on a global scale, helps to create
the sense of unity and national identity. Therefore, due to the opportunities of global
recognition of a participant and their country, sports has become the vehicle for creating a
national identity The FIFA 201 was an international sporting event of national pride since it
offered an opportunity to experience competitive spirit on a global scale However, apart
from actively encouraging the development of national identity and the sense of national
self in both participants and observers, the event in question has also contributed to the
promotion of national self-identity creation and the experience of unity among both team
members and viewers. The described experience was only possible due to the rigid
requirements for the way in which the event was portrayed.
Specifically, FIFA 2018, as well as FIFA, in general, was interpreted as the opportunity for
every country in the world to compete on the global level and prove that it has outstanding
sportspeople. Moreover, the people that watched the event were actively engaged with the
performance of their corresponding team since the victory would mean not only a monetary
reward but also global recognition.
Consequently, FIFA 2018 helped fans from different parts of a specific state to unite and,
thus, experience both a sense of being together and the feeling of unity. The latter became
particularly tangible when realizing that, even with the monumental support that each of
the participants received, the spirit of competition was quite strong during FIFA 2018
(Cappello). As a result, the event became the place to celebrate one’s national pride and
experience joy when watching the team of one’s choice advance in the global rankings and
become well-known across the globe.
The participants of FIFA 2018, were extraordinarily vocal in their support of their teams and
players. The presence of the fans contributed to the sense of togetherness and the support
of one’s national pride (Siqueira). Thus, attending the FIFA 2018 event allowed one to feel
the surge of pride, the experience of unity and the level of excitement that helped to define
one’s national identity and the sense of belonging to a specific nation.
In addition, it was remarkable to see that the participants of the event were eager to use
different signs and symbols that helped to show their belonging to a specific group, and,
thus, delineate their national identity. For instance, the under-eye ornaments that a lot of
people attending the event were wearing allowed them to differentiate between the
members of their nationality and the rest of the attendees.
Thus, one could see as the concepts of unity and belonging were expressed with the help of
basic symbols and helped to mark the members of the same group so that the rest of its
participants could recognize each other easily. In addition, other symbols of a specific
national identity, including an actual flag that the supporters of the teams were holding at
certain moments of the game indicated that the people attending the event built a
substantial amount of national identity during the FIFA event. However, the specified trend
should not be mistaken for the increased patriotism; on the contrary, the research
conducted by Nam et al. has proven that most supporters of FIFA teams return to their
status quo after the cup ends and are unlikely to exhibit greater levels of patriotism in their
daily life (1922). Therefore, the effects of the increased sense of national identity and unity
are unlikely to be long lasting and will only have a tangible impact if events like FIFA occur
on a regular basis with short time lapses.
The described event also had a negative side of reinforcing participants national identity and
unity within people grouped according to their nationality. Namely, after a game ended,
some fans that were discouraged by the outcomes of it would start looking for a fight with
those whose team won. The observed phenomenon does not contradict the established
tendency toward unity among teams in the slightest; if anything, it only reinforces the fact
that people are united based on their sense of national identity. As a result, once their pride
is hurt, they start seeking for the means to return to the experience of safety and self-worth,
which, unfortunately, may imply using violence against the triumphant group of fans.