One of the very first reasons for traveling was to take part in sport or to watch sporting events. As early as 900 BC the Greeks were traveling to take part in and watch the Ancient Greek Games. Watching tourism evolve over the years, we can clearly see how once the primary motivators for one to travel were just relaxations and exploration, now the regular tourists has become much more demanding and their motives and motivations have become much more diverse. Today, many tourists research their dream holiday based on a specific interest. This whole phenomenon is called special interest tourism, and sports tourism is an important segment.
And guess what? All those people need a place to sleep and eat, possibly even buying some souvenirs, leading to more revenue for the host city and the hoteliers.
Why is sports tourism so popular?
Why should we pay attention to this market then?
Sport and tourism each contribute to a very high extend to the global economy and have become a key element when it comes to harmony between politicians, planners and economists seeking to regenerate local economies. The combination of the two, resulting in sports tourism has a significant economic impact on the host community. World Tourism Organization has predicted a growth of 14%/ annum of sports tourism, compared to 5% across all other tourism categories.
What do these type of tourists expect?
Discovering their preferences will enable the destination to adjust their strategy accordingly. Meet all the specific requirements, making the destination more attractive.
For this type of tourists, price and value for money are the top characteristics followed by cleanliness and location related aspects. Like any other traveler, the interpersonal skills and services are of great importance too. Following on are the core services like breakfast, food quality, internet and appliances. When traveling for sporting events, rather than holiday or business, fans are willing to sacrifice basic hotel services for fan related and oriented ones. Finally, these type of tourists are willing to return to a hotel they have previously used, rather than search for a new one.
Overall this emerging market is a great opportunity for hoteliers to fill up on the shoulder periods, create an image related to health and sport. Furthermore, hosting big events helps with the overall destination image and its variety, eventually attracting more guests.