SPORTS-EVENT TOURISM AS A NICHE TYPE OF TOURISM

Abstract

The subject of the study is sports and event tourism as a niche type of tourism. The purpose of the work is to investigate the specifics and theoretical and methodological foundations of sports and event tourism as a niche type of tourism and an important component of event tourism. Methods. The research methods used were analysis and synthesis (for analysis of the conceptual and terminological apparatus of the study), statistical analysis, PEST analysis (for the content characterization of sports and event tourism as an important global phenomenon), and expert assessments. Results and their application. The authors analyzed the conceptual and terminological apparatus of the study in the chain: niche tourism – event tourism – sports and event tourism. The World Tourism Organization defines sports and event tourism as a priority direction for the development of world tourism, as a result, 4 international tourism forums were held on this niche type of tourism. The sports and event tourism market has the fastest economic growth rates among other types of global tourism. Thus, in 2023 sports event tourism was estimated at almost 710 billion dollars, with a projected annual growth rate between 2024 and 2034 of 18.2%.For the content characterization of sports event tourism as an important global social phenomenon, the PEST analysis method was used, which covers the study of the impact of the macro environment on the development of this phenomenon; it is a marketing tool designed to identify political, economic, social and technological aspects of the external environment that affect this phenomenon. Conclusions. Sports event tourism as a niche type of tourism has a positive political, economic, socio-cultural, technological impact on the tourist destination according to the chain reaction principle. Not only event organizers and tourism companies benefit from sports events, but also local communities and local businesses through increased consumption of services and goods provided, infrastructure development, and attraction of investors and event sponsors. All this contributes to the formation of the image of the country, the region, forming a long-term positive picture in the imagination of future tourists.