Sports Tourism and ‘Harvesting the Afterglow’ of the Olympics

Skift Take

The Olympics provide host cities enormous exposure worldwide, but that doesn’t mean they’ll see a long-term tourism boost. We discuss how host cities can leverage the immense popularity of the Olympics in this week’s episode of the Skift Travel Podcast.

Rashaad Jorden

The Skift Travel Podcast is wrapping up its series on the Paris Olympics. Greg Klassen, senior director at Skift Advisory and former president and CEO of Destination Canada, joins Head of Research Seth Borko and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of hosting large sporting events such as the Olympic Games.

They also touched on the importance of developing a long-term tourism strategy for when the glow of those massive sporting events fades away.

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Key Points

Importance of a Long-Term Strategy: Successful leveraging of the Olympics for tourism requires a well-planned strategy that spans before, during, and after the event. Vancouver’s approach included years of preparation and a focus on long-term benefits, such as increasing global brand awareness and encouraging future visitation.

Media and Publicity: Major sporting events like the Olympics offer an unparalleled opportunity for destinations to gain worldwide exposure through media coverage. Vancouver capitalized on this by providing media with engaging stories and high-quality content to showcase the city’s beauty and attractions.

Sustainability and Legacy: Planning for the legacy of Olympic infrastructure is crucial. Vancouver effectively repurposed Olympic facilities for community use and tourism, ensuring they remained valuable assets post-Olympics. This contrasts with places where Olympic venues become neglected and underused.

Environmental and Social Responsibility: Addressing environmental and social issues transparently can enhance a city’s reputation. For example, Vancouver tackled local challenges head-on, showcasing efforts to address homelessness and addiction. This approach can help shape a more balanced and authentic narrative about the host city.

Broader Impacts of Sports Tourism: Beyond the Olympics, other major sporting events also present opportunities for tourism growth. Understanding the specific appeal of various sports and targeting relevant audiences can help destinations maximize the benefits of hosting such events. The long-term success of sports tourism depends on aligning these events with broader destination marketing and development goals.

Episode Summary

Greg Klassen, currently the Senior Director of Skift Advisory and former CEO of Destination Canada, shared insights on leveraging the Olympic Games for tourism, highlighting his experience with the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He discussed Paris’s challenges and bad press ahead of their Olympic Games, contrasting it with Vancouver’s strategic focus on showcasing the city to global viewers rather than just catering to on-site visitors. Klassen emphasized the importance of having a long-term plan, citing Vancouver’s success in boosting its tourism and maintaining high occupancy rates years after the games. He criticized the lack of strategic tourism planning in recent Olympic host cities, including Paris.

Klassen also touched on the environmental and social responsibilities tied to hosting such events, suggesting that transparent storytelling about efforts and challenges can enhance a city’s image. He concluded by discussing the broader impact of sports tourism, advising destinations to consider their unique strengths and audience when planning to host major events, rather than blindly pursuing the largest, most expensive competitions.