Sport Tourism Development

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Sport Tourism Development

• Paul Charbonneau

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The intriguing nature of the business of sport
and tourism comes from the fact that it knows no
barriers of language or culture it spans every
sport imaginable, every age group and every
demographic and it includes both those who
travel to play or watch their sport of choice.
"Business of Sport Tourism" Ross Biddiscombe,
Sport Business Group Ltd.
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Who are Sport Tourists?

• They must travel more than 80km and/or stay
  overnight to attend, compete, or otherwise be
  involved in a sporting event.
• Sport is the reason they travel - they would not
  have otherwise traveled to that location had it
  not been for that specific event.
• as defined by the Canadian Tourism Commission
  and the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance

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Key Figures

• Over 200,000 sporting events held each year in
  Canada.
• Sport Travel represents 2.4 billion in total
  tourism spending, annually.
• The Economic Significance of Amateur Sport
  Active Recreation in Edmonton in 2000
• average child spends 56/day and adult 85/day
  when traveling to Edmonton while participating in
  sport.
• Canadian Tourism Commission - 2004

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Events

• Minor sports tournaments
• Kids regional, provincial
• Adult Competitive Leagues
• Regional, Provincial, National, International
• Elite minor tournaments
• AAA, Rep teams, Jr. A, PSO championships
• Multi-sport events
• Provincial Games, (Youth, Senior, Paralympic
  Championships)
• Canada Games
• International Single Sport Events
• World Cycling, Curling, Senior Softball, etc

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Community Sport

• Do you have a Community Sport Council?
• What do they currently do for you?
• Critical component of a strong Sport Tourism
  movement
• Volunteer database, screening, training
  coordination
• Coach and Officials development
• Pooling resources
• Talent and experiences
• City Representation on Sport Council

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Tourism Sector

• Do you have a community or regional tourism
  association?
• How are they involved in current sporting events?
• Critical partnership to maximizing tourist
  potential for events (value-added services)
• Centralized booking system
• Attraction and event listings
• Cross-promotional opportunities
• Marketing and promotion expertise and resources

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Economic Impacts
From the Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model
- CSTA
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Economic Impacts

• It costs less to host an event that it does to
  have your team travel to anothers
• Parents
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Municipal Benefits (taxes and employment)

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Economic Impacts

• Myrtle Beach, SC assessment model
• Over-night Stay Visitors
• 90 per room night, 24 hotel food expenses
• 21 other food expenses, 18 admission to events
• 8 Misc. Tourist attractions, 23 Retail, Gas,
  Parking
• 180 Total spent per day by visitors
• Day Visitors
• 20 restaurant, 25 Retail, Gas, Parking, 5
  Tourist
• 50 Total spent per day by day visitors

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Budget Surpluses
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People Impacts

• Volunteer involvement, marketable job skill
  development
• Introduction of new sports to the community
• Player, Coach Referee/Officials development
• Cooperative learning from each others events
• Financial surpluses used in event legacies and
  program improvements

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Sport Impacts

• Increase variety of competitors to continually
  learn and develop (both coaches and players)
• Expose community to a new or emerging sport
  creates opportunity to grow the sport
• Capital investment, facility refit

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Current Resources

• Sportalliance
• Community Sport Council Creation
• Bid and Post-event report library
• Starter Kit for Bidding and Hosting policies
• Grant writing assistance
• Community Sport Network Lifestyle Information
  Network
• Assistance working with CSTA products
• CSTA
• Sport Tourism Strategy Planning Template
• Business Plan Template for Staging a Sporting
  Event
• Events Database
• Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model (STEAM)
• Festivals and Events Ontario
• Pageantry Template

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Strategy Planning Template

• Assessing your communitys strengths weaknesses
• Sports with Potential
• Inventory (accommodations and facilities)
• Building a vision
• Identifying opportunities, dates
• Support Resources
• Action Planning
• Finalizing your strategy

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Business Plan Template

• Help formulate the why and how of an event
• Formulates goals and a concise direction for the
  event
• Defines an organizational structure and roles for
  each position
• Establishes timelines and critical paths
• Provides structure for detailed budget
• Different requirements for Bids vs Manufactured
  Events

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Hidden Hosting Opportunities

• 82 recognized PSOs
• Provincial Regional Championships
• 2 genders, up to 6 age categories
• OFSAA District Championships
• NOSSA, WOSSA, SWOSSA, EOSSA, etc
• A AAAA school championships
• 48 championship tournaments
• Mid-season sanctioned tournaments
• Non-PSO sports
• Floorball, Ultimate, Adventure Sports
• Colleges and Universities
• Seeking out non-affiliated communities to host
  events
• Masters Sports, Seniors, Amputee, Gay Games
• Police and Firefighter Competitions
• Tie-ins to 2010 Vancouver
• International Training Camps, Acclimatization
  zones

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Where to Start

• Key Community Partners
• Parks Rec, City Council, Sport Council,
  Hospitality Industry, Economic Development/Chamber
  of Commerce, School Boards, local post-secondary
  institutions
• City and Club commitment to community development
• Full-Time Sport Tourism Marketing support
• Developing a Strategy
• Facility inventory, hotel capacity, shoulder
  seasons
• Growing sports, local natural assets
• Set priorities
• Create long-term plan
• Build relationships with professional event
  organizers

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Funding Sources

• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Canadian Event Hosting Policy
• National and International events
• Provincial programs
• Community in Action
• Community Use of Schools
• Provincial and National events
• HRDC
• Youth employment incentive programs

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Common Pitfalls

• Hidden Costs
• Bidding
• Capital Construction
• Legacy and post-event costs
• Accommodation limitations
• Competition for volunteers
• Pre-established schedules during competitive
  season

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Manufacturing an Event

• Business Decision based on community needs
• Picking the sport and season
• Event naming after local sport hero
• Memorial Tournament, Classic
• Availability of hero for ceremonial duties
• Ensuring hotel and venue availability and capping
  participation
• Community support through corporate and volunteer
  sectors
• Recruiting, training and recognizing volunteers
• Logistics planning

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QuestionsComments?