Social and economic value of major sport events: the employment effect for tourism destinations

In the last twenty years sporting activities assumed more and more importance such as leisure industry (Varaldo, 2002; Zagnoli, Radicchi, 2011). In particular participation and attendance at sports events have become an increasing proportion in the recreational and entertainment lifestyle of people (Resciniti, 2004). Moreover the location’s name through the sport event is spread all over the world by media, hopefully becoming for the recipients a possible tourism destination. Among the existence of a wide-range of events in the sport sector - from small local initiatives to sports training camps, matches of professional sports teams, experiential marketing events (Zagnoli, Radicchi, 2008) - this research chooses to focus on major and medium sports events. The aim of this paper is to focus on the effects of major and medium sports events on the tourist attractiveness of the host destination (in terms of image, urban renewal, quality of life, etc.). In the contemporary economic recession that mainly involves the European and Mediterranean countries, even if sport events should be able to create positive legacies for the local context, in recent years they are assuming a different meaning. Findings suggest that major and medium sports events can have different implications for host destinations. It depends on the economic, political, social, infrastructural framework of each specific context. The final section also proposes some considerations about the role of mega and medium sport events to renovate the tourism model of southern Mediterranean countries.