Evaluating mega sports events@wtm
The World Travel Market has a comprehensive Sports Tourism programme reviewing the success of the London 2012 Olympics and assessing the benefits and constraints for the host nations of major sporting events.
TT BUREAU “The
impact of major sporting events on travel and tourism has been much debated. There is a lot of discussion regarding the UK, about the impact that the 2012 Games will have on London with stories of tourists staying away as hotels increase their prices leaving restaurants and the theatres empty. The WTM Sports Programme will look into this further and review the impact on Tourism of the 2012 Olympics,” said Simon Press, Director, World Travel Market, Reed Travel Exhibitions.
The Sports Tourism programme, sponsored by Eurosport, will start on the first day of WTM, November 5 with ‘ Tourism and the place in Platinum Suite 4 at ExCeL – London.
The major sporting event theme will continue on November 7, 2012 with ‘Optimising the Tourism Benefits of Major Events for Host Nations’ which will ask what the major right holders ( such as the International Olympic Committee and FIFA) should be doing to help deliver the potential tourism benefits.
Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive, Visit Britain, will be talking about the challenges and opportunities faced by the NTOs in the year of hosting the Games.
Professor Geoffrey Lipman from the Chair of DeHaan Institute’s Advisory Board will chair the event, which will take place on November 7, 2012 in Platinum Suite 3. The final session in the Sports Tourism programme will be looking at Adventure Tourism. ‘ The Future for Activity, Adventure and Sports Tourism’ panel of speakers includes; Caroline Heyniger, CEO, Xola Consulting; Chris Chesak, Vice President, The Adventure Travel Trade Association and Paul Easto, Director, Wilderness Scotland. This session will be taking place on November 6, 2012 in South Gallery Rooms 25/25.