III.5.1. Global economic trends

Considering the social implications of sport tourism, it is primarily the global trends that play a significant role. Both sport and tourism have become globalized, worldwide socio-cultural activities.  Both are related to (leisure time industries and have a beneficial influence on the economy. The contribution of sport to the GDP is  1-2%, that of tourism is 4-6%. The growth of tourism today (more than 7%) is more intensive than that of car or oil industry.  Sport tourism expanded even more rapidly by an annual 10 %. (Hudson, S. 2003). At the same time it is not only the number of travels that showed considerable growth, but travels also expanded spatially.  By data published in a survey in North America (North American Federal Tourism Office, 1997),  32% of total income in the area of tourism originated in sport tourism. During the last 50 years the number of international arrivals and income rose exuberantly. By data of WTO if economic growth reaches 4%, tourism performs better. If it falls below 2%, it will be a lower figure. It means that tourism declines if the sending countries struggle with an economic crisis, and it does not decline if the receiving countries face problems. (e.g. Greece in the summer of 2010).

Sport and tourism are related in many ways to the global economy. European countries on average spend 2% of their consumption expenditure on sport (rental, equipment purchase, club membership fees). This proportion in Hungary is one tenth of the European expenditure! Those types of sport make the biggest profit from the production of sport equipment, which are done both as mass and as professional sport. Examples include football, running, skiing, cycling. Companies produce functional sport clothing and equipment. Sport stores and specialized department stores today await an increasing number of sport tourists.

Due to media attention elite competitions and races of high rank (e.g. Formula 1, Tour, Vuelta, Giro, Champions’ league, Grand Slam, World cup events and Olympic Games) as well as mass sport events attracting huge crowds of amateur and professional sportspeople  (e.g. New York City Marathon, Hawaii Ironman, northern ski running events) have become business ventures making aconsiderable profit.  We can say that sport tourism has become very popular because TV broadcasts  and sport programs on TV represent big business. First  general sport papers and periodicals as well as sport programs on various TV channels (Eurosport, Sport TV) became popular, later there were thematized periodicals and specialized pay-TVs. (Kiss 2013).

Famous sport venues, the so-called ’ sport sanctuaries’ are also marketable. Examples include the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, USA, Wembley and Wimbledon. It is also a remarkable that the stadiums of famous sport clubs and teams increasingly become tourist attractions. (Puczkó and Rátz 2011). It means on the one hand the opening of special exhibitions, museums and gift shops, and, on the other hand, the expansion of services on offer (the building of multifunctional plazas, for example).

In general it can be stated that elite sport makes its primary profit from spectators, supporters and fans, while in recreational sport it is the participants who pay. Sport tourism represents 10% of the global tourism market.