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

T:01314722222research@visitscotland.comwww.visitscotland.org

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2014