Eurosports champions sports tourism at World Travel Market

Eurosport, Europe’s leading sports entertainment group, is sponsoring the Sports Tourism program at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM).

WTM, the leading global event for the travel industry, has championed the cause of sports tourism for a number of years. There is a strong focus on the sector at this year’s WTM, which is the last one to take place before London hosts the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Director World Travel Market Simon Press said: “Eurosport’s continued support gives our sports tourism program additional kudos. The media is a big influence in promoting tourism to host destinations of high-profile sporting events.”

“The World Travel Market today plays an important role in bringing key players and influencers from sport and tourism together under one roof for the exchange of ideas and practices, as well as offering excellent networking opportunities,” said the Eurosport Group’s Global Commercial Director, Olivier Fisch.

This year, the Eurosport-sponsored sessions take place in the Platinum Suites, allowing up to 250 visitors to attend. This additional capacity will enable more attendees to hear from sector specialists; past, present, and future host destinations; with a number of industry-friendly sports stars also contributing.

“The Future of Sports Tourism” will be discussed on Wednesday, November 9, at 1430 in Platinum Suite 3. Graham Boynton, Group Travel Editor of Telegraph Media Group, and Charles Starmer-Smith, Managing Editor, Travel, will focus on escorted sports tourism. Over the past decade, there has been a boom in escorted trips to events such as the Ashes, British Lions rugby tours, and various football tournaments.

The two editors will be joined by two sporting greats who have hosted large groups of traveling sports fans. Rugby player Lawrence Dallaglio and cricketer Allan Lamb will offer views on how travel companies can ensure the trips live up to expectation.

On the opening day of WTM, Eurosport is sponsoring a session in the afternoon entitled “Game Plan – A 21st Century Sports Tourism Strategy,” hosted by former Olympic middle- and long-distance runner David Moorcroft. The panel will include Katarzyna Sobierajska, Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism for Poland. She will discuss how its tourism sector plans to capitalize on co-hosting the Euro 2012 football tournament.

London 2012 will be covered in a number of sessions, including “The Olympic Games and Tourism Seminar: Hosting the World – The UK Plans for 2012.”
Reed Travel Exhibition Chairman World Travel Market Fiona Jeffery said: “WTM, the leading global event for the travel industry, is ideally positioned to bring together destinations, specialist operators, trade bodies, and superstars with a business interest in this multi-billion pound sector that is sports tourism.”