SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability101forSportsTourism:EnhancingDestinationValue ThroughResponsibleEventManagement SponsoredBy TABLEOFCONTENTS Introduction1 Overview:TheTripleBottomLineinSportsTourism2 EnvironmentalSustainability: PreservingEcosystemsThroughSports3 SocialSustainability: BuildingStrongerCommunitiesThroughSport5 EconomicSustainability: CreatingLastingValueThroughSportsEvents7 Conclusion9 CalltoAction10 1Introduction Sportstourismhasemergedasapowerfuleconomicdriverfordestinationsacrossthecountry.AccordingtotheSportsEventsandTourismAssociation’s(SportsETA)StateoftheIndustryReport,thesectorgenerated$39.7billionindirectspendingin2021,supportingover635,000jobsandcreating$12.9billionintaxrevenue. $ Thesefiguresunderscorethesignificantimpactsportseventshaveonlocaleconomiesandcommunities. TheSportsEventsandTourismsectorgenerated $39.7billionindirectspendingin2021, supportingover635,000jobsandcreating$12.9billionintaxrevenue. However,astheindustrycontinuestogrow,sodoesitsresponsibilitytoensurethisgrowthissustainable.Sustainabilityinsportstourismgoesbeyondenvironmentalconcerns;itencompassessocialresponsibilityandlong-termeconomicviability.Forthoseinvolvedindestinationmarketingandeventorganization,embracingsustainabilityisnotjustanethicalchoice—it’sastrategicimperativethatcanenhancedestinationappeal,createlastingcommunitybenefits,anddriveeconomicgrowth. Thiswhitepaperaimstoprovideacomprehensiveintroductiontosustainabilityinsportstourism,tailoredspecificallyforprofessionalsindestinationmarketingandsportseventmanagement.Wewillexplorehowsustainablepracticescanbeintegratedintosportseventsandtourismstrategies,enhancingboththevisitorexperienceandthe long-termvalueofdestinations. 1 2 Overview:TheTripleBottomLineinSportsTourism Sustainabilityinsportstourismisbuiltontheconcept ofthe“TripleBottomLine”—aframeworkthatconsiderssocialandenvironmentalimpactsalongsidefinancialperformanceFororganizationsinvolvedinsportstourism,thisapproachmeans: 1.EnvironmentalSustainability:Minimizingtheecologicalfootprintofsportseventswhileshowcasingandpreservinglocalnaturalassets. 2.SocialSustainability:Ensuringeventscontributepositivelytohostcommunities,promoteinclusivity,andleavealastinglegacy. 3.EconomicSustainability:Generatinglastingeconomicbenefitsthatsupportlong-termgrowthandcommunitydevelopment. Byadoptingthisholisticapproach,sportstourismorganizationscancreateeventsthatdriveimmediateeconomicimpact,enhancequalityoflife,promoteenvironmentalstewardship,andbuildapositivereputationforhostdestinations. Inthefollowingsections,we’llexploreeachpillarofsustainabilityin-depth,providingpracticalinsightsandreal-worldexamplesfrom successfulsportstourisminitiatives.We’lldemonstratehowsustainabilitycanbeapowerfultoolfordestinationdifferentiation,communitydevelopment,andlong-termeconomicsuccessinthecompetitiveworldofsportseventhosting. TampaBay’sPressPassProgram TheTampaBaySportsCommission,incollaborationwiththeGirlScoutsofWestCentralFlorida,implementedaninnovative“PressPass”programduringthe2019NCAAWomen’sFinalFour.This20-weekinitiativeprovidedyounggirlsingrades 6-12withhands-onexperienceinsportsmedia.Participantsreceivedexclusiveaccesstothechampionshiptournament, includingbehind-the-scenesviewsandopportunitiestoobservenewsconferences.TheprogramculminatedinaJuniorJournalismWorkshopwherestudentswere credentialedandgiventhechancetotourvariousareas,includingESPNproductiontrucks.Thisinitiativenotonlyenhancedeventinclusivitybutalsoopeneddoorstopotentialcareersinsportsmediaforlocalyouth. 2 3 EnvironmentalSustainability: PreservingEcosystemsThroughSports Sportstourismpresentsauniqueplatformtodemonstrateenvironmentalleadershipwhilehostingexcitingevents. Aswebringvisitorstoourcommunities,wehavetheopportunity—andresponsibility—tominimizeourenvironmentalimpactandcontributepositivelytolocalecosystems. Keyareaswheresportseventscanmakeasignificantenvironmentaldifferenceinclude: 1.WasteManagementandReduction Effectivewastemanagementiscrucialforlarge-scalesportsevents.Thevolumeofwastegeneratedduringtheseeventscanbesubstantial,butwithproperplanningandexecution,muchofitcanbedivertedfromlandfills. Implementingcomprehensiverecyclingandcompostingprogramscansignificantlyreducewastesenttolandfills.Thisnotonlyreducesenvironmentalimpactbutcanalsoleadtocostsavingsforeventorganizers.Adoptingreusableorcompostableservicewarecandramaticallyreducesingle-useplasticwaste,addressingavisibleandproblematicaspectofeventwaste. 2.EnergyEfficiencyandClimateConsiderations Energyuseisasignificantcontributortoboththeenvironmentalfootprintandcarbonemissionsofsportsevents.Byfocusingonenergyefficiencyandrenewablesources,eventscanreducetheirimpactonclimatechange. Strategiesforimprovingenergyefficiencyincludeutilizingenergy-efficientlightingandequipmentinvenues,incorporatingrenewableenergysources,andencouragingtheuseofpublictransportationorshuttlesforattendees.Thesemeasuresnotonlyreduceenvironmentalimpactbutcanalsoresultinsignificantcostsavingsovertime. PortlandTrailBla