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sector, including creation of media events aimed at
broadcast audiences �see event marketing).
sport, recreational
DONALD GETZ, CANADA
The concept of recreation sport includes a field of
physical activities organised and planned so as to
give a tourist or individuals within a group a sense
of satisfaction that is refreshing and enlivening.
Out of this participatory experience, people find
renewed strength to face daily life. Unlike career
sports, recreational sports do not normally involve
occupational obligation and pecuniary rewards.
sports tourism
JOSEPH KURTZMAN, CANADA
JOHN ZAUHAR, CANADA
Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the
modern Olympic Games, gave inspiration to the
development of sports tourism in the belief that it
would bring people together, thus contributing to a
better understanding among peoples and nations.
Coubertin's concept gave sports tourism its vitality
and impetus for pursuit of business entrepreneurship,
and financial profitability.
Sports tourism has been defined as `the use of
sports as a vehicle for tourism endeavours', in which
activities encompass the physical context of running,
jumping, walking, racing, throwing, shooting,
hitting and the like. The primary qualifier for the
concept lies in tourist participation or attendance at
a predetermined sports activity. Sports tourism has
also been delineated along the lines of activity
categories having direct relationships to tourism
�sports events, attractions, resorts, tours, cruises) and
are influenced by inherent elements such as history,
destination, policy, sociocultural characteristics,
marketing and economic impact.
Many unique sports activities are associated
with sports tourism; for example, if a particular
camel race attracts tourists, then the race would be
considered a sports tourism activity. Both the
participants and spectators might well be sports
tourists. This example, viewed as such, could be
associated with motor sports racing, horse racing
and more.
Certain organisational factors are characteristic
and prevalent within sports tourism. They include
resources utilised to stage an activity within a sports
environment, and certain dependency on tourists
by sports organisers.
Sports tourism activities take place within a
recreational and/or competitive environment. The
nature of the physical activity per se implies
competition between individuals and groups at
varying levels of skill and ability. For the competitor,
this process includes self-challenge through
self-imposition. A self-challenge would be exemplified
in trekking in Nepal, a location where wouldbe
participants come from outside the region to
perform their professional best in the attempt to
reach the top. For the spectator, the appreciation of
skill and ability mastered by the participant brings
about satisfaction, enjoyment and applause. This is
well demonstrated in the Olympic Games. For
tennis resorts, a person could be a spectator or avid
participant. Further, in the sports halls of fame or
museums, the touristic role is confined to that of
onlookers.
Sports tourism has shown to provide significant
economic impact, not only from the hosting of
major sports events but also from the development
of sports resorts and sports attractions. Most
recently, increased marketing of sports tourism by
countries, regions and communities suggests
potential for improved tourism receipts. Sparked
by the popularity of the cruise industry, the sports
celebrity cruise has become an important element
of sports tourism. Each of these advancements
contributes to the impact of sports tourism. The
importance of the sports tourism field is now well
recognised and has given rise to a professional
association, the Sports Tourism International
Council.
staged authenticity
staged authenticity 553
JOSEPH KURTZMAN, CANADA
JOHN ZAUHAR, CANADA
Postmodern tourists revel in constructed experiences
from computer assisted virtual travel to entire