the tourism benefits of mass participation sporting … participation events...the tourism benefits...
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The Tourism Benefits of Mass Participation Sporting Events2014
Insight Department
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• Agrowingtrendwithpeoplebookingholidaysaroundparticipatinginaneventcombinedwithsightseeing
• Aspectrumofeventsfrombigcitymarathonstosmallquirkyeventswithuniqueappeal
• Cost-effectiveandcanbeself-financing
• Opportunityforplacemarketingandshowcasingadestination
• Sustainabletourismbenefits,promotingahealthyimage,communityandlocalbusinessinvolvement
• In2012,Baxters’LochNessMarathonandFestivalofRunningattractedover9000runners,whiletheEdinburghMarathonFestivalhad30,000runners
• Someevents,includingtheGreatScottishSwimandEdinburghMarathonFestival,haveamajorityofparticipantsfromoutsideScotland
• Manyparticipantsbringsupportersandstayovernight
Key Insights on Mass Participation Events
Tourism & Mass participation events
Spectatorsportstourismenjoysahighprofile,particularlywiththescaleofmediacoveragegiventotopsportingevents.Howevertheinfrastructuresuchasstadiumsrequiredfortopleveleventsisexpensivetoprovideandmaintain.Recentstudieshaveshownthatthisinvestmentisnotalwaysjustifiedintermsofeconomicbenefittotheregionorasasportstourismstrategy1.
Participationsportstourismisfarlessdemandingintermsofinfrastructurethanspectatorsportstourism2andcoversabroadspectrumofactivityforallagesandlevels,fromclubtrainingandteamtraveltoindividualparticipationandcompetition.Eventsofvaryingsizesandlevelscanbetailoredtofitadestination’sresourcesandcapacity.
Peopleareincreasinglytravellingtotakepartinmassparticipationsportsevents.Asrunninghasbecomeincreasinglypopular,andbigeventssuchastheLondonMarathonandGreatNorthRunreceivewidespreadmediaattentionwithamixofeliteathletes,celebritiesandcharityrunnersaddingtotheinterest,morepeoplearetravellingtotakepartinraces.Thesamebehaviourcanbeseeninothersportssuchascyclingandswimming.Combiningallthreeactivities,triathlonshavealsosoaredinpopularitysincetheirOlympicdebutinSydney2000.TheOlympiceventinvolvesa1.5kmswim,42kmbikerideand10kmrun,howeverdistancesvaryfromnovice(400mswim,10kmcycle,2kmrun)totheseriouslychallengingIronmanandextremetriathlonevents.
Thereisplentyofevidencetoshowthatpeoplearewillingtotravelforsuchevents.Datacollectedbyeventorganisersshowahighproportionofparticipantstravelfromoutsidethearea,oreveninternationally,toparticipate.Furthermore,theyareoftenaccompaniedbynon-participatingfriendsorrelatives,increasingthebenefittothedestination.
Thehighprofilecityeventsattractthebiggestnumbers(andhavetheinfrastructuretoaccommodatethem).Howeverthereisahealthymarketforsmallereventsinsmalltownsandruralareas.Anumberofeventshavedevelopedanicheappealthroughpromotinguniquefeaturesorquirksoftheeventitself,orabackdropofstunningscenery.Smallertownsandruralcommunitiesareoftenideallocationsforoff-roadevents,suchastrailracing.Scotland’sgeographylendsitselfwelltothistypeofevent,withexamplessuchastheLochalshDirty30ChallengeWalkandtheCapeWrathChallengerunningeventalreadyestablishedontheeventcalendar.
1Walmsley,D.,2008Sports Tourism: Strategies for Successful DevelopmentLondon:SportBusinessGroup
2Abboud,A.,2012Sport Tourism (Part I):Why Cities Should Subsidize Marathons, Not Stadiums.Availablefrom:http://alexabboud.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/sport-tourism-part-i-why-cities-should-subsidize-marathons-not-stadiums/[accessed23April2013]
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Global picture
Therearemanyeventsthathavebenefittedtourisminthehostarea,bringinginvisitors,oftenrepeatvisitors,andraisingthedestinationprofile.Specialisttouroperatorsofferpackagestobigeventsacrosstheglobeforindividualsandgroups.
Aswellasthebiggestandbest-knowncitymarathons-NewYork,Boston,Chicago,LondonandBerlin-thereareanumberof‘quirky’races.InChina,theGreatWallMarathonincludes6kmand3,700stepsonthewall,whileinKenyatheSafariconhasarmedrangerstoprotectrunnersfromwildlifegettingtooclose.TheNiagaraFallsMarathonistheonlymarathonthatincludesabordercrossing,whiletheAntarcticaMarathonwassetupbytouroperatorMarathonToursspecificallysotheircustomerscouldcreateaSevenContinentsClub.
Sportseventscanenhancetheimageofaplace.Aswellasshowcasinganarea’snaturalorbuiltattractions,theycanpromotehealthy,activelifestylesandcommunityinvolvement.Accommodationproviders,restaurantsandlocalproducerscanallbenefitfromeventsandthevisitorstheybringwhilecommunitygroupscangetinvolvedinorganisingandvolunteering.Localcharitiescanbenefitthroughracefundraisingandawarenessbuilding.Therearemanyexamplesacrosstheworldofmassparticipationeventsthathavehadapositiveimpactontourisminthelocalarea.
OneexampleistheLuangPrabangHalfMarathoninLaos,acharityraceorganisedtohelpthemoremarginalisedresidentsinthearea.Corporatesponsors,ledbyluxuryresortgroupAmanresortscoveralltheracecostssothattheentryfeescanallgotocharity.Only500runnersareallowedtoavoidovercrowdinganddisruptionforthecommunity3.
• Eventscanbringinvisitors,andrepeatvisitors
• Participantsareoftenaccompaniedbyrelativesandfriends.
• Increasinglyattendinganeventispartofalongerholiday
• Eventscanshowcaseadestination,enhanceimageofdestinationasahealthyplace,promotingactivelifestyle
• Encourageslocalstobecomemoreactive
• Opportunitiesforcommunityinvolvement,e.g.schoolgroupshelpingwithorganising,marshalling
• Opportunitiesforlocalbusinesses,localproduce,accommodation.
• Publicity,presscoverage
Whilethemostprofitableeventsareofteninbigcities,thathavetheinfrastructuretoputonbigeventsandaccommodatelargenumbersofvisitors,smallcommunityeventscanalsohaveabigimpactandprovidescopetoinvolvethelocalcommunity,helpinglocalbusinessesandtheeconomy.Inparticular,theycanhelptourismbusinessespromoteapositivedestinationimageandreduceseasonality.
3Travelmole Running for a cause in Luang Prabang.Availableat:http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature_P.php?news_id=2006328[accessedApril2013]
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InScotland,eventscanoftencapitaliseontourismassetssuchaslandscapeandheritage,forexamplethescenicLochNessbackdropfortheBaxtersLochNessMarathonandFestivalofRunning.
Eventscanbenefitlocalcharities,forexampletheAviemorehalf-marathonand10KwhichtakesplaceduringtheOctoberhalftermisorganisedtobenefittheSpeysideTrust,whichhelpspeoplewithdisabilitiesenjoyanoutdoorholiday4.Locationsthatareunabletoaccommodatelargenumbersofparticipantscanbenefitfromsmall,nicheeventsthatfillquickly,suchastheBlackRock5inKinghornandtheBarrathon6.
Scottish Picture
Feedbacksuggeststhatparticipantsandthoseaccompanyingthemlookforavarietyofactivitiesoutsidetheactualevent.TheBaxtersLochNessMarathonprovidesaFestivalandFoodFayre:agoodopportunitytoshowcaselocalproduceandprovideanoutletforlocalbusinesses.Apost-raceceilidhcanprovidepost-raceentertainmentwhileinvolvingthelocalcommunity.Localattractionscanalsobenefitfromadditionalvisitors.Post-racemassageandspafacilitiesareoftenwelcome.Choosingacourseoraroutecanshowcasesceneryandlocalattractions.Forseriousrunners,accuratetimingthoughuseofelectronicchipsandofficiallyverifieddistancesarewelcome.Eventscanalsoachievecustomerloyaltywithyear-roundsocialmediacampaigns.
Selling Points
• Goodcourse,scenery,fast‘personalbest’(PB)course• Multipleeventsforvariouslevels/familyevents• Otherthingstodo/attractionsinarea
Timing
• Bankholidayorhalftermtofacilitatetravel• 10Korhalfmarathontofittrainingscheduleforbigmarathon
(Edinburgh,London)• Canextendtouristseason
Business benefits
• Earlybreakfast,pre-racenutrition,post-racemassage/spa• Transportprovision• Goodybagwithlocalproduce• Post-raceCeilidh• Buildcustomerloyaltywithyear-roundsocialmediafollowers
4http://www.aviemorehalfmarathon.org/index.html5http://www.blackrock5.org/6http://www.barrathon.org.uk/
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Organising an event
AthleticseventorganisersneedtoobtainapermitfromScottishAthletics.
ScottishAthleticswillprovideorganiserswithinformationaboutriskassessment,insurance,potentialdateclashes,requiredpermitstandardsforroadraces,coursemeasurementandotherrequirements7.
EventScotlandprovideadviceandinformationaboutorganisingevents,formoreinformationpleaseseetheirwebsitewww.eventscotland.org
Case studiesBaxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running 2012
BaxtersLochNessMarathonprovidesasignificantboosttotourisminInverness,withhotelsandrestaurantstypicallyfulloverthemarathonweekend.Over9000runnerstookpartintheFestivalofRunning.Nearly4000,includingparticipantsfrom28countries,enteredthemarathon,whichachieveda97%racesatisfactionratinginRunner’sWorldmagazine.
ThelocationoftheeventwithabackdropofLochNessisanessentialpartofitsappeal,whiletheFestivalandFoodFayreprovidesentertainment,activitiesandsustenanceforparticipantsandspectators.
7http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/index.php?p=154
45% from outside
Scotland55% from Scotland
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon2012
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running 2013
The2013eventonceagainattractedover9,000runners,47%ofthemfromoutsideScotland.
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 2013
37.6%
9.4%8%
45%
Rest of ScotlandRest of UK
HighlandsOverseas
AnindependenteconomicimpactstudycarriedoutbyEKOScalculatedtheeventhadaneconomicimpactworth£1.2milliontoScotlandand£1.6milliontotheHighlands.
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Great Scottish Swim 20118
The2011GreatScottishSwimwasheldatStrathclydeLochandattracted1624participants.Participantsurveyresultsshowedthatonaverage,eachparticipantbrought3.2peoplewiththemtotheevent,givinganestimatedspectatorattendanceof5,197ifitisassumedallspectatorswereassociatedwithaparticipant.ThedemographicsplitbasedonsurveyresultsshowedahigherthanexpectedattendancefromoutsideScotland;3%fromlocalauthorityarea,35%restofScotland,61%restofUKand1%overseas.58%ofsurveyrespondentsstayedovernightinScotlandasaresultoftheirattendance.
62% from outside
Scotland
38% from Scotland
Great Scottish Swim 2011
Great Scottish Swim 2013
In2013theGreatScottishSwimmovedtoLochLomondandattractedarecord1,913participants.49%ofparticipantsstayedovernight.Ofthose,47%stayed2nights,31%stayed3nightsand19%stayedjustonenight.
8DataprovidedbyeventorganisersNovaInternational9DatabasedonanindependentstudyconductedbyEKOS
Great Scottish Swim 2013
37.6%
9.4%8%
45%
43% from Scotland
57% from outside
Scotland
Scottish 6 day Orienteering 2013 - Moray9
Thiseventattracted3,967participants:
• 97%fromoutsideMoray&Nairnshire
• 80%fromoutsideScotland
95%ofparticipantsstayedovernight.Thelengthofstaywas5-8nightsinMoray&Nairnshire,and7–10nightsinScotland.
Netadditionalexpenditurewasestimatedat£1.35millioninMoray&Nairnshireand£2.03millioninScotland.
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Etape Caledonia 200910
Thiscyclechallengetookplaceovera130kmcourseonclosedroads.Additionallytherewereanumberofeventsprovidingactivitiesforparticipantsandspectators.
Justunderhalfofparticipantslivedlocallywhile44%werefromoutsideScotland.
AccordingtoanEconomicImpactAssessmentconductedbyEKOS,therewere2920participantsand4853spectators.
14%ofparticipants(413)tookpartinasurveyconductedbyEKOS:
• 71%wereparticipatingforthefirsttime
• 20%hadcompetedinthepreviousyear
• 86%werespendingatleastonenightawayfromhome.OverhalfstayedinPitlochry,withothersinPerth,Aberfeldy,Birnam,Dunkeld,GlasgowandEdinburgh
• 88%indicatedtheywerelikelytocompeteagainin2010,while92%werelikelytoreturntoHighlandPerthshireforaholiday.10%wouldliketoseemoreactivitiesbeforeandaftertherace
200spectatorswerealsosurveyed:
• 62%werefemale
• 38%aged31-45,27%46-60
• 30%weretherewithchildren
10DatabasedonanindependentstudyconductedbyEKOS11DataprovidedbyeventorganisersGSiEvents
Edinburgh Marathon Festival 201211
TheEMFistheUKslargestrunningfestival,andthemarathonistheonlyUKraceoutsideLondonthatisIAAFaccredited.
The2012eventattracted30,000participants,70%ofthemtravellingfromoutsideScotlandwith60countriesrepresented.Runnerswereaccompaniedbyanaverageof2supportersstaying2nights.Bednightsassociatedwiththeeventwereestimatedat126,000.
Themarathoncourseisflat/downhillandfast,offeringrunnersgoodprospectsofachievingapersonalbest,orPB.
Celtman! Extreme Scottish Triathlon
TheCeltman!EndurancetriathloninWesterRossmakesgreatuseofthestunningsceneryintheTorridonarea,withthe3.8kmswimheldinLochShieldaig,202kmcycleoverincredibleHighlandroadsand42kmruntakingintwoMunros.Theraceattractsasignificantnumberofoverseascompetitors.
New events
UpcomingneweventsonthecalendarincludetheKilomathoninMarch2014,arunningeventinEdinburghfeaturingdistancesof13.1kmand6.55km,alongcyclepathsfromOceanTerminalfinishinginMurrayfield,andakids’eventinMurrayfield.Thisprovidesavariationtotheusualracedistancesandispromotedasastepping-stonebetween5kand10k,or10kandhalfmarathondistances.
AnewScottishhalfmarathonisplannedforautumn2014,againheldinEdinburghandEastLothian.
InSeptember2013,theCycletta,awomen’sonlybikeride,tookplaceatSconePalace.SupportedbyVictoriaPendleton,theeventwasdesignedtoencouragewomentogetoutcycling,with3distancesonoffertocatertoallabilities.
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Abboud,A.,2012Sport Tourism (Part I):Why Cities Should Subsidize Marathons, Not Stadiums.Availablefrom:http://alexabboud.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/sport-tourism-part-i-why-cities-should-subsidize-marathons-not-stadiums/[accessed23April2013]
Coleman,R&Ramchandani,G.,2010.TheHiddenBenefitsofNon-EliteMassParticipationSportsEvents:AnEconomicPerspective.International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship,12(1)
HengKiang,YBDannyLaw,2009.HowaMarathonBooststhePenangTourismIndustry.[online](20August2009)Availableat:http://www.penangmarathon.gov.my/portal/index.php?view=article&catid=1:marathon-info&id=115:how-a-marathon-boosts-the-penang-tourism-industry&format=pdf
TheOttawaCitizen,2007.Marathontourismletsyoucombinerace,vacation.Ottawa Citizen[online]29April.Availableat:http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/columnists/story.html?id=bd2ba938-f36c-4722-afc3-e87baeded759[accessed23April2013]
Travelmole,2013.Running for a cause in Luang Prabang.[online](10May2013)Availableat:http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature_P.php?news_id=2006328[accessedMay2013]
Further Information
InsightDepartmentVisitScotlandOceanPointOne94OceanDriveEdinburghEH66JH
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2014