Small business owner’s perception of the value and impacts of sport tourism on a destination

Abstract

Sports tourism is perceived to bring significant benefits to a community hosting a sporting event. This purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of small business owners, who are also residents of a community, on the economic, environmental and social cultural impacts of sports tourism. The results uncovered the level of support for sports tourism among small business owners varied based on the type of small business. This study is an important contribution to the literature and has significant implications for destination marketing organizations, tourism planners, and sport tournament organizers attracting and planning sport events in cities.