Examining the role and impact of Sport Film Festivals on local communities
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
Destinations around the globe host sport-themed film festivals to highlight unique local geographic features and showcase the specific activities that can be performed upon them. These festivals are important given that narratives of place, such as literature, photography, and film frame how tourists think about destinations by introducing them to new locations and influencing how they will act within them. The increasing popularity of these festivals can be seen as a means of consecrating the host destinations as places where certain activities can and should be performed. Further, such local festivals are often recognized as tools to increase visitor spending by attracting tourists and imploring participation in site-specific activities. Despite the impact of these events, little scholarly attention has been paid to the phenomena of sport-themed film festivals. This study examined the economic value and role of an inaugural surf film festival in a small coastal town in the Southeastern US known for its beaches and surf breaks. An instrument was developed to identify the type of tourist attracted to the event, the amount of money spent, distance traveled, and travel party size, as well as information on the types and locations of activities performed while visiting the area. Findings revealed the type of visitor who is attracted to these types of events and assessed the worth of the event to the local community. Conclusions may be used to determine the feasibility of these events for other destinations looking to capitalize on their own local geographic resources.
