Category FAQs Search : Sport Tourism
Question: The Host Community and Its Role in Sports Tourism—Exploring an Emerging Research Field
Answer: The increase in individual sports activities is stimulating the rise of sport-related forms
of vacationing. This is further intensified by tourists seeking authentic experiences in host–guest
relations, physical health and well-being, and the consumption of local products and services.
Communities, especially those in developing countries, do not yet fully recognize the potential of
local sports as a resource and competitive advantage in their destination development. In the same
way, tourism research is lacking analyses regarding the role of the community and its specific sports
identity. Given this, the present paper aims to systematically review the promising interface between
community development and sports tourism. The research questions are based on the potential of
identity-based sports and necessary local engagement. These efforts are pursued through a Systematic
Literature Review (SLR) with 49 articles. The results reveal the thematic clusters, research features,
and prevalent challenges and benefits that the community has to deal with. The discussion proposes
the utilization of local sports identity in systematic product development and highlights increasing
local engagement. In conclusion, we call for future research on non-event-related sports tourism,
in-depth case studies, and multi-disciplinary concepts to foster local sustainability.
(Source: , 07 Oct 2021)
Source Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/24/10488/pdf