Sports Tourism – The Prospects for Sports and Economic Development
Akis Pavlogiannis
08 Oct 2017
/ 16:46
By Akis Pavlogiannis
The International Half-Marathon which was held in Corfu at the end of September 2017 - regardless of how it was received - could, with proper planning and consensus, open the way to the development of Greece and Corfu as attractive international destinations all year round, leading to stable and sustainable development in sport, tourism and society.
Based on the results of similar sports activities, these types of socially and recreationally oriented sports events can be integrated into a national tourism policy which will increase the tourist season, promote thematic tourism, and lead to the development of new destinations and markets as well as attract tourism investment.
In Greece, and certainly in Corfu, sports tourism has been treated as a separate part of the tourism industry, mainly due to the lack of infrastructure and technical capability. In contrast to what was happening internationally, tourism authorities continuously undervalued the comparative advantages and unbelievable results of alternative tourism. They ignored the worldwide recognition of the fact that people linked sports events with their cultural and environmental concerns. Not only do these activities contribute to an improvement in the tourist product but also to the development of organized and alternative forms of sport.
According to specialists, sports tourism is a multifaceted product which includes sports events, professional or amateur activities such as coaching centres and group travel. It also includes specialized sports and recreational activities such as adventure holidays, walking or cycling tourism, water sports, mountain and skiing holidays, ecotourism etc. In other words, it involves not only people who participate in organised sports activities, but also others who see sport as recreational activities which are connected to hobbies, health and a better way of life. And of course it also involves escorts and fans. Sports tourism is already being developed on local and regional levels as well as by various private organizations. Examples of these on the islands are the traditional wooden sailing vessel race at Spetses, diving at Kalymnos, golf in Crete, water sports at Paros etc.
The development of these types of sporting events in Corfu should be made a priority and is the only way forward, especially if you take into account that sporting activities are an important element in tourists’ choice of destination. Nevertheless, planning needs to take into account the range of sports activities, resources and infrastructure on a local and regional level, the topography and the sporting traditions of the area as well as the prospects of attracting investment for the development of recreational activities.
The important factor in the establishment of sports tourism is the formation of an institutional management structure whose initial priority will be to create a database of ideas, proposals and potential partnerships. In addition, there needs to be a substantiated choice of the type of sports tourism, a network with the organisations involved and proper promotion. Regarding the organization of sports tourism, the professor of sports development at Aegean University Paris Tsartas says, “I would start by planning the strategy, placing emphasis on specialised and alternative tourism products and would follow a policy of integrating seasonality with specific targets. I would also focus on the synergies between the central national tourism policies and those of the tourist destinations on a local level. I would promote reinforcement and specialization of employment and training policies in the field of human resources in tourism and also develop tourism training.”
Based on the results of similar sports activities, these types of socially and recreationally oriented sports events can be integrated into a national tourism policy which will increase the tourist season, promote thematic tourism, and lead to the development of new destinations and markets as well as attract tourism investment.
In Greece, and certainly in Corfu, sports tourism has been treated as a separate part of the tourism industry, mainly due to the lack of infrastructure and technical capability. In contrast to what was happening internationally, tourism authorities continuously undervalued the comparative advantages and unbelievable results of alternative tourism. They ignored the worldwide recognition of the fact that people linked sports events with their cultural and environmental concerns. Not only do these activities contribute to an improvement in the tourist product but also to the development of organized and alternative forms of sport.
According to specialists, sports tourism is a multifaceted product which includes sports events, professional or amateur activities such as coaching centres and group travel. It also includes specialized sports and recreational activities such as adventure holidays, walking or cycling tourism, water sports, mountain and skiing holidays, ecotourism etc. In other words, it involves not only people who participate in organised sports activities, but also others who see sport as recreational activities which are connected to hobbies, health and a better way of life. And of course it also involves escorts and fans. Sports tourism is already being developed on local and regional levels as well as by various private organizations. Examples of these on the islands are the traditional wooden sailing vessel race at Spetses, diving at Kalymnos, golf in Crete, water sports at Paros etc.
The development of these types of sporting events in Corfu should be made a priority and is the only way forward, especially if you take into account that sporting activities are an important element in tourists’ choice of destination. Nevertheless, planning needs to take into account the range of sports activities, resources and infrastructure on a local and regional level, the topography and the sporting traditions of the area as well as the prospects of attracting investment for the development of recreational activities.
The important factor in the establishment of sports tourism is the formation of an institutional management structure whose initial priority will be to create a database of ideas, proposals and potential partnerships. In addition, there needs to be a substantiated choice of the type of sports tourism, a network with the organisations involved and proper promotion. Regarding the organization of sports tourism, the professor of sports development at Aegean University Paris Tsartas says, “I would start by planning the strategy, placing emphasis on specialised and alternative tourism products and would follow a policy of integrating seasonality with specific targets. I would also focus on the synergies between the central national tourism policies and those of the tourist destinations on a local level. I would promote reinforcement and specialization of employment and training policies in the field of human resources in tourism and also develop tourism training.”
