Sport Event and Event Tourism

In previous post I was discuss the relationship between festival event and tourism. I referring festival event such as musical festival can attract foreign tourism. This time I will analysis the relationship between sport event and event tourism. I have cited some sport event for example and prove it how to attract foreign tourism come to travel. In the next, I will talk the International sport event via Hong Kong Seven and Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races to provided those event how lead Hong Kong’s economic and tourism affect. Let introduce some special term before moving on.

What is event tourism?

With the main purposes of visit listed separately under different headings such as business, pleasure, visiting relatives of friends, attending conferences, and study.

What is sports event?

Sports as ‘big business’ is an enduring theme. For example, Rozin (2000) described Indianapolis as a ‘classic case’ of how sports can generate a civic turnaround. Sports Business Market Research Inc. (2000, p. 167) observed that in the 1980s and 1990s American cities ‘‘yput heavy emphasis on sports, entertainment and tourism as a source of revenue for the cities.’’ Gratton and Kokolakakis (1997) believed that in the UK sports events had become the main platform for economic regeneration in many cities. Carlsen and Taylor (2003) looked at the ways in which Manchester used the Commonwealth Games to heighten the city’s profile, give impetus to urban renewal through sport and commercial developments, and create a social legacy through cultural and educational programming.

The Hong Kong Sevens (Chinese: 香港國際七人欖球賽)

The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the World Rugby Sevens Series competition.[Starmer-Smith, Nigel (ed) Rugby - A Way of Life, An Illustrated History of Rugby (Lennard Books, 1986 ISBN 0-7126-2662-X)]  The Hong Kong Sevens founds in 1976, after year Ruby 7 is a worldwide sport event. It is the biggest event on the sporting calendar in Hong Kong and one of the biggest in Asia. It is organised each year by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU). Also held by HSBC and Cathay Pacific. Every year in April, and the tournament spans three days in Hong Kong station, rugby fans from all over the world gather at the magnificent Hong Kong Stadium to witness action packed rugby and soak in the carnival atmosphere. Hong Kong Seven attracts 120,000 visitors admission, nearly a half of spectator came from foreign country, which show the Hong Kong Seven is a influential sport event.

According to the visitor arrivals data and visitor overnight data from HKTB Partner Net, there are the travel statistics data of tourism arrival Hong Kong on February to June.

	the total Visitor arrivals by Month (IN THOUSANDS)
MONTH/YEAR	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
FEB	5,405.7	4,417.4	4,022.1	3,371.2	2,923.1	2,866.1
MARCH	4,405.3	4,825.2	4,087.3	3,709.5	3,186.9	2,798.3
APRIL	4,789.1	4,748	4,279.9	3,840.2	3,358	2,796.3
MAY	4,756.2	4,590.6	4,142.3	3,638.9	3,230	2,815.3
JUNE	4,361.2	4,492.7	4,201.3	3,620.9	3,035.2	2,619.7

	the  total Visitor Overnight by Month (IN THOUSANDS)
MONTH/YEAR	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
FEB	2,323.6	2,188.8	1,972.1	1,694.1	1,637	1,594.3
MARCH	1,927.7	2,249.8	1,978.2	1,819	1,691.3	1,579
APRIL	2,116.2	2,201	2,023.5	1,874	1,789.6	1,577.6
MAY	2,102.8	2,130.7	1,955.7	1,765.3	1,721.6	1,594.2
JUNE	1,934.8	2,084.2	1,989.1	1,790.1	1,657.6	1,466.2

The month with the highest amount of overnight visitors in the table presented has been highlighted in yellow, while the 2^nd highest month has been highlighted in green, for better referencing. According to the information gathered, April has been the month with the highest consistent amount of total visitors overnight throughout February to June each year (for February, March and the 2^nd quarter combined), whereas May has been on average the second highest month in terms of total overnight visitors starting from 2010 onwards.

Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races

Follow the lead of Hongkongers and make a party out of an ancient Chinese festival under the modern skyline of Victoria Harbour. Enjoy boats, beers and the cheers of hundreds of thousands of spectators — it’s the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival. (Source: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/dragon-boat-carnival.jsp#ixzz45ouIIrGY, [According the data from Hong Kong Tourism Board])

Hong Kong is recognised as the birthplace of modern competitive dragon boat racing and is known internationally as a leading dragon boat competition destination. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (the Hong Kong Tourist Association) organised the first international dragon boat races in 1976. The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) was established in Hong Kong in 1991 as the worldwide governing body for the sport. The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association (HKDBA) was also established in the same year to coordinate local dragon boating activities. Nowadays, the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races has gone from strength to strength and sparked an explosion of interest in dragon boat racing worldwide. After years, over 5,000 athletes representing more than 180 teams from all over the world will compete in Victoria Habour.

(Source: http://www.mevents.org.hk/en/events_dboat.php#history)

According to the visitor arrivals data from HKTB Partner Net, there are the travel statistics data of tourism arrival Hong Kong on April to August.

	THE Total visitor arrivals by month (IN THOUSANDS)
month/year	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
APril	4,789.1	4,748	4,279.9	3,840.2	3,358	2,796.3
MAY	4,756.2	4,590.6	4,142.3	3,638.9	3,230	2,815.3
JUNE	4,361.2	4,492.7	4,201.3	3,620.9	3,035.2	2,619.7
JULY	4,923.4	5,373.5	4,831.5	4,369.8	3,839.4	3,136.8
AUG	5,614.9	6,009.6	5,358.1	4,898.8	4,065.8	3,455

According to the information and data form tourism arrivals, visitors admission, overnight table, hotel occupancy, there are the obvious change of number in both event, that mean sport event can attract more tourism.

In fact, the Victoria Harbor has indeed affect Hong Kong’s History and culture, it is a Key to made the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races that successful.