Every year we have several major sports events that draw the sports fan from all over to World into a specific country or city. Also, people become more engaged online as well, by going to sites like bettingon.com or other betting sites to place their wagers and speculate. In other words, these events are extremely lucrative opportunities for the organizers, and pretty much everyone involved. However, the hosting country or community can also be affected in a negative way. Here we will focus on both positive and negative aspects of sports tourism and explore how they affect the host.
Positive aspects
As stated sports tourism typically offers major economic benefits to the hosting community or region. For example, over 600,000 people from overseas came to experience the London Olympics in 2012, which means that the customer base for a great deal of business in London grew substantially. There is an increase in demand for accommodation, for seats at restaurants, for a taxi or Uber services, etc. So, it goes without saying that all of the industries involved will welcome such an event.
It is also a positive change for the locals. Being able to interact with people from different cultures, helps us learn new things and grow. People establish new connections, make new friends, and in a sense change their life a bit, which is inarguably a great thing. However, this is a double-edged sword, and there are some downsides to these events that have to be addressed.
Negative aspects
We have seen it countless times either in person or on television, the ugly face sports spectating, called hooliganism. Truth be told, it’s not the case that in certain countries or regions there are no hooligans and they only appear as a result of sports tourism, but having an influx of such individuals is never positive. When crowds start to riot it can result in property damage, theft, and injuries, which are all real and negative aspects of sports tourism.
Another important thing to note is a necessity for additional space and buildings. In order to accommodate the high influx of guests, trees are cut off, there are more ski huts, construction areas, and in general more noise and light pollution. This can be especially bad in places where these pollutants are already high, as it significantly impairs the natural recovery of the environment.
Luckily problems like overcrowding and hooliganism can be controlled, and they should be expected during these events, so investing extra in the security measures should be one of the priorities. Moreover, with the right organization, people can find more environment-friendly means of accommodation, by designating more tour buses that pick up the guests for events, they will be encouraged to seek accommodation that is even more distant from the stadium, and eliminate the need to build additional structures.
