Exploring residents’ perceptions of the socioeconomic impact of sport tourism

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to investigate and assess critical factors related to the socioeconomic impact of sports tourism on territorial growth. The study highlights the significance of residents' perceptions regarding the economic and social consequences of hosting sporting events in gaining public support for such endeavours. This research relies on primary data collected from diverse regions throughout Italy via a specialized Google Module, with a particular focus on the intersection of sports and tourism. Notably, 84% of the sampled population expresses support for the idea that hosting sporting events can yield potential economic benefits for the hosting region. While these initial findings are preliminary, they strongly indicate that the population is inclined towards organizing sporting events in their own regions. This inclination creates opportunities to consider long-term investments in hosting sporting events, which can stimulate tourist influx and subsequent economic growth in the involved territories.