An international conference on sports tourism opened in Nicosia on Wednesday, marking the first major follow-up to EU Council conclusions on sports tourism.
The two-day conference, titled “Sports tourism as a driver of sustainable development,” brings together ministers, EU officials, sports authorities, academics and industry representatives to examine the links between sport, tourism, regional development, innovation and social cohesion.
In her opening address, Education, Sport and Youth Minister Athena Michaelidou said the conference reflected growing political recognition of sports tourism at European level. The May Council conclusions, she said, were the first time sports tourism had been treated in a structured and comprehensive way at EU Council level. She added that the sector should now be seen as a cross-cutting policy area linking sustainability, health, education, regional development, innovation and social cohesion, rather than purely through the prism of events and visitor activity.
Michaelidou said advancing the discussion during the Cyprus Presidency had been a deliberate political choice, and that the impact of sports tourism required cooperation between institutions, governments, local authorities, international organisations, academia and industry.
Tourism strategy
Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis said sports tourism was one of the fastest-growing segments of the tourism industry, accounting for roughly 10% of global tourist spending. The sector drives economic growth and infrastructure development while offering host destinations international visibility, he said.
Koumis said sports tourism was a high priority within the National Tourism Strategy 2035 and could contribute to the goal of turning Cyprus into a year-round destination. Through its incentive programme for attracting international sporting events, he said, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism was actively supporting organisers in bringing major events to Cyprus. He described the conference as a key deliverable of the Cyprus Presidency and of the Council conclusions on sports tourism.
European Commission message
In a video message, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef said sport and tourism were deeply connected, and that sport could strengthen economies, enrich communities and promote healthier and more active lifestyles.
Micallef thanked the Cyprus Presidency for securing the Council conclusions on sports tourism, saying they provided important policy direction for linking sport, tourism and sustainable development. Sports tourism, he said, covered both travel to watch sporting events and travel motivated by participation in sport and physical activity, including hiking and cycling routes, outdoor activities and community-level sporting experiences. These activities, he added, could diversify the tourism product, raise the profile of less-visited areas, extend the tourism season and encourage healthier lifestyles for visitors and local communities alike.
Pressure on cities
Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos welcomed participants by saying that sport, when combined with tourism, could act as a catalyst for sustainable development, generating lasting value for local communities and boosting the appeal of destinations.
Prountzos warned, however, that sports event planning needed to be approached carefully at a time when cities such as Barcelona and Athens are under pressure from overtourism, housing, environmental and infrastructure strains. A city’s capacity, he said, was not only about accommodating visitors but also about its infrastructure and its ability to absorb the pressures that accompany major sporting events.
European framework
Delivering the keynote, Cyprus Sports Organisation Deputy Director General Vassos Koutsioundas said the May Council conclusions marked the first time Europe had recognised sports tourism not simply as the movement of people travelling to play or watch sport, but as a strategic policy area linking sport, tourism, sustainability, regional development and social cohesion.
The conclusions, he said, gave Europe a common definition of sports tourism as travel undertaken either to take part in sporting activity or physical exercise, or to attend sporting events, competitions or sporting attractions. Koutsioundas said sports tourism should be treated as a strategic tool capable of supporting territorial cohesion, quality jobs, healthier lifestyles and greater visibility for regions, with sustainability at its core, balancing growth with environmental responsibility, social inclusion, accessibility and benefits for local communities.
Read more:
