C H A P T E R
11
Sport Tourism
Heather Gibson, University of Florida
Sheranne Fairley, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Chapter 11
Tourism and the Tourism Industry
• Rocky times for tourism industry
• Size of the tourism industry
• Range of services and products
• Motivations for travel and tourism
• Sport tourism
International Sidebar
• Sport Museums
– Tourist attractions for domestic and international
consumers
– Elements of many destinations’ tourism portfolios
• National Sports Museum (Melbourne,
Australia)
– Tennis Heritage Collection
• International Learning Activities
Types
• Active sport tourism
• Event sport tourism
• Nostalgia sport tourism
Active Sport Tourism
• Travel to take part in sport
– Cruises
– Amateur sports
– Golf and skiing
Event Sport Tourism
• Sport events as tourist attractions
• Hosting sport events that draw spectators
as well as active sport tourists
• Two levels
– Hallmark
– Small scale
Hallmark Events
• Major events drawing international attention
• Examples
– Carnivals and festivals such as Mardi Gras
– Cultural or religious events such as a British royal
wedding
– Major sport events such as the Super Bowl
(continued)
Hallmark Events (continued)
• Mega sporting events and the media
• Concept of destination image and host cities
• Aftermath and long-term consequences
• Recurring events vs. one-time events
Small-Scale Event Sport Tourism
• Advantages of hosting small-scale events
• Variety of events fit the definition
– Professional and college-level sports
– Amateur sport events such as the Senior Games
• Need for community tourism agencies
– Convention and visitors bureau
– Sports commission
Nostalgia Sport Tourism
• Redmond’s examples
– Visiting sport halls of fame
– Taking sport-themed vacations
– Attending fantasy sport camps
– Touring famous sport stadia
• An underdeveloped area of study
Sustainability and Sport Tourism
• Balancing the needs of today with those of
the future
• Dimensions
– Social
– Economic
– Environmental
Sidebars
• The Ultimate Sport Tourism Destination
– Walt Disney World Wide World of Sports
• Nostalgia Sport Tourism
– The World Golf Hall of Fame
• Sport Volunteer Tourism
– Travelling to Volunteer at Sporting Events
– Sydney Olympic Volunteer (SOV) Social Club
Practical Application
• Ethics in sport tourism
– Controversy and the Olympic and Paralympic
Games
• Critical thinking in sport tourism
– Sustainable development in tourism
Three Review Questions
1. What are the major dimensions of sport
tourism and the sport tourism industry?
2. What strategies might you suggest to your
community to leverage the tourism
associated with college sports?
3. How might we implement a sustainable
development approach to future sport
tourism ventures?