Sports tourism gives travel industry a much needed boost

The World Travel Mart in London celebrated its thirtieth year with over 50,000 officials from around the world. Government officials and International press were present to mark this major event. Sports tourism was accorded as the major factor responsible for reviving the deteriorating tourism market, which was affected badly due to the ongoing recession.

Sports tourism was promoted by various countries by holding myriad shows and exhibitions. Due to the oncoming football WorldCup to be held in 2010, South Africa was a major player in the sports tourism arena.

London was also prominently in the fray, as the 2012 Olympic Games are scheduled to be held here. A stupendous amount of fans from around the world are expected to arrive at these destinations, giving the tourism industry a much needed stimulus. Also, fans are expected to bring millions of pounds in revenue to the local businesses.

Sports tourism is currently estimated to be worth around 600 billion dollars. This takes up a quite a bit of the money spent on tourism for the next couple of years. Also, major events come with major marketing potential as they receive wide spread publicity and sponsorships. For many, it is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity and usually a very memorable experience. However, the cost of holding such events often runs into millions of pounds, thus making it a formidable experience.