Interviews with professionals
In a few lines…
The 2023-2024 editorial committee decided to survey a few people in its network (via email).
The Order: In a few lines, can you explain how to understand the challenges of contemporary sports tourism?
Within the current tourism landscape, sports tourism is emerging as a constantly evolving field, abandoning established conventions to adopt a new identity. Unlike other forms of tourism that are deeply rooted in the history of leisure and travel, sports tourism is constantly redefining itself, characterized by delicate contours and a diversity of facets that are still being defined. In many Western countries, including France, the growing interest in this sector is based on two major trends. On the one hand, it reflects a gradual merging of traditional sports practices as leisure activities into the tourism offering. On the other hand, it reflects the growing integration of sports leisure activities into the social fabric, thus going beyond the conventional framework of sporting activities. By refusing to be categorized, sports tourism is undergoing a process of metamorphosis in which the benchmarks are shifting.
This phenomenon, resulting from the evolution of traditional sports towards recreational sports and the widespread popularity of tourism, attracts attention due to its significant economic impact and its appeal linked to the values it conveys (such as respect for the environment, ecology, the quest for freedom, well-being, etc.). These promising aspects have led to the growing integration of sports activities into institutional tourism communications. Professionals from the sports tourism sector and university professors will share their expertise and vision on the contemporary issues inherent in this constantly changing field. Their testimonials and analyses will deepen our understanding of the current challenges facing sports tourism and provide insights into its future direction.
Yann Ramirez, Sociologist
“Contemporary sports tourism is not lacking in challenges. If we had to choose a few watchwords, they would be anticipation and adaptation. Like a skier or a driver, you always have to keep a watchful eye on the next turn. By anticipating, we prepare ourselves for future demand, which will have to be combined with the current context: laws and political decisions on zero net land take and low-emission zones are examples that constrain sports tourism stakeholders in specific areas. Knowledge of the environment thus enables adaptation so that the sector can continue to thrive."
Clément Lopez, sociologist specializing in sports policy
“The issue of ‘contemporary sports tourism challenges’ refers to the evolution of sports and tourism practices and methods, which are becoming increasingly diverse. It is interesting to note that, in terms of supply, commercial players are no longer the only ones interested in the phenomenon, which is now the subject of strategies by governments, local authorities, and sports federations. These organizations perceive "sports tourism" as a phenomenon which, when framed by development strategies, can contribute to the attractiveness of regions or disciplines. However, this raises the question of how to adapt this supply to the challenges of public policy and social demand, to which it must be connected. In short, one of the main challenges, in my opinion, lies in the ability of the various stakeholders to democratize "sports tourism," in the sense of reducing inequalities in access to the tourist experience and/or sports practice."
David Queffelec, Head of Marketing & CRM at Hérault Tourisme
“Nature-based recreation is a key issue in terms of regional development, the solutions we offer our customers, and environmental issues that impact our lifestyles and daily consumption patterns."
The Hérault department offers a veritable outdoor playground thanks to its geographical diversity, varied landscapes, and favorable climate, allowing for a multitude of activities throughout the year. This natural wealth is "perfectly suited to the region's main tourist attractions, combining outdoor leisure activities, wine tourism, and the discovery of iconic sites." In addition, "the region is committed to developing and improving its natural offering by structuring and upgrading its infrastructure : maintenance and development of existing trails, creation of themed experiences such as wine tours or bike rides through the vineyards, improvement of signage, strengthening of services offered by local professionals, and the establishment of new circuits for lovers of nature getaways, such as the Grande Randonnée trails between the lakes, the Grande Traversée du Massif Central, the Via Rhôna, car-free routes, as well as obtaining the "Accueil Vélo" label.
Current trends in tourism consumption "favor outdoor leisure activities, marked by a reduction in travel, a focus on short trips and a remarkable evolution in equipment, including the advent of electric bikes, a growing variety of hiking options, and increased accessibility to natural sites." In Hérault, "a key factor is the constant arrival of new residents, with an influx of 1,500 people per month over the last 15 years, all eager to discover their new environment through outdoor leisure activities." Finally, "the major development in this area is the trend towards breaking down the traditional boundaries of the seasons, allowing these activities to be enjoyed not only in spring and summer, but throughout the year. With its rich offering of outdoor leisure activities, Hérault, described as a "new land of diverse sports," holds a promising card to respond to these trends."
Environmental challenges are a major concern for the future of tourism. Nature-based recreation and promoting our local customers are one of the main responses to these challenges.
Nathalie Le Roux, senior lecturer
“The primary challenge would be to restore meaning to tourism, which has been widely questioned in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis. Philippe Bourdeau (2012) proposes to ‘uninvent tourism’ in order to return territories to their inhabitants and to living things. This would involve rethinking tourism, not as an end in itself but as a means. To think of regions where the reception of athletes, visitors, tourists, travelers, newcomers, or migrants is in the hands of local stakeholders and benefits the region without depleting its resources. Tourism must be one possibility among others, not the only economic option that would crush all other forms of social activity. Giving it new meaning also means working with actors outside tourism, such as farmers, artisans, and artists, to build links and weave together a coherent and solid fabric. In the field of sports tourism and outdoor sports, this is the task set by recreational laboratories (Corneloup, 2016), where the work focuses on building "commons" rather than on "creating products."
The second issue, closely related to the first, is social justice. Because, like many economic activities, tourism is riddled with inequalities: social, gender, health, and those with disabilities are often excluded. Invented by the English aristocracy in the 18th century and, although widespread and democratized, tourist activities (and outdoor sports in particular) remain the preserve of the "dominant" classes. Some activities are now being challenged by environmental movements, residents' associations, and sometimes by people who do not have access to them and are demanding either their right to do so or proposing other, more modest and convivial ways of taking vacations.
The third challenge, in my view, is innovation. Technological innovation is often highlighted, but it is not the only one. technological would enable us to resolve some of the challenges. But it is social innovation that the resolution of the first issues can rely on: what forms of alternative businesses, what forms of work, what income can we live on, and how much time do we have to carry out our collective projects?
Finally, the fourth challenge is educational. How can we encourage cooperation and creativity in individualized societies? The task for educators is also immense! What role(s) should be given to schools, secondary schools, and higher education institutions if not that of bringing imagination to students (sometimes stolen from them by the institution). Enabling them to imagine, tinker, cooperate, and invent. It is often outside of school, during sports activities with peers and vacations (for those who have access to them), that we learn these things. Many providers of outdoor sports activities already enthusiastically embrace this educational role and restoring the experience of nature that is becoming extinct in our urbanized societies (Pyle, 2013).
Ms. Le Roux concludes with this reflection on us, students of the MTS master's program:"So, what are the challenges for students of Sports Tourism Management? Becoming capable (by researching, developing critical thinking skills, and learning to cooperate with professionals from other fields) to participate in and even initiate discussions in destinations and/or companies in order to jointly develop fairer tourism offeringsand more user-friendly and undoubtedly simpler or at least in line with what the stakeholders concerned want to share and what living organisms are still able to sustain."
Conclusion
As we have seen, sports tourism stands out as a constantly evolving field within the travel and leisure industry. Its ever-changing nature, far removed from established conventions, reflects a constantly shifting landscape, adapting to new trends and the changing demands of contemporary society. This evolution, which has moved beyond the traditional boundaries of sport to become part of the social fabric and is based on values such as respect for the environment, freedom, and well-being, has captured attention due to its significant economic impact and its ability to attract a wide audience. The testimonials and analyses of various experts in the sports tourism sector, shared in this interview, reveal essential insights for understanding the current and future challenges in this field. Their diverse perspectives, ranging fromanticipating developments toadapting tourism offerings and promoting natural resources, invite us to rethink tourism with a view to sustainability, equity, and openness to social, economic, and environmental changes. It is thus clear that contemporary sports tourism requires an innovative approach based on cooperation, creativity, and a keen awareness of socio-environmental issues in order to shape a future in which it will contribute to more inclusive and environmentally friendly tourism experiences.
It's up to us!
Bibliography
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Exploring new frontiers in tourism. Perspectives on tourism research, Nire Negro, pp. 31–48.
Corneloup J. (2016). Recreational laboratories, drivers of regional development in rural areas. In:
Juan-Luis Klein; Bernard Pecqueur; Kirsten Koop; Sid Ahmed Soussi. Socio-territorial innovation put to the test of globalization: a challenge for stakeholders, Presses de l’Université du Québec.
Myttenaere, B. D. (2009). At the crossroads of tourism development and environmental protection. 28(2).
Pigeassou, C. (2022). Chapter One. Sports tourism: A social reality with uncertain contours. In C. Sobry (Ed.), Sports tourism (pp. 33–71). Presses universitaires du Septentrion. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.septentrion.117373
Pyle R. (2016). The extinction of experience.Ecology & Politics, 53, 185–196.