Active Sport Tourism
This volume serves to expand theory-driven understandings of active sport tourism by showcasing five empirical studies examining a variety of active sport tourism contexts. These include table tennis at the World Veteran’s Championships, ultramarathon, running/cycling/triathlon, skiing/snowboarding, and a range of issues such as active ageing and travel-related carbon footprints. The volume also seeks to explore possibilities for future directions in active sport tourism and act as a catalyst for ongoing scholarly inquiry.
Travelling to take part in active sporting pursuits is growing in popularity around the world. Active sport tourism encompasses travel to participate in a myriad sports, as well as in competitive participatory sport events. Much of the recent growth in active sport tourism is associated with travel to compete in participatory sport events, notably the "big city" international marathon events; amateur running, triathlon, and cycling events; Masters Games; and team sport tournaments. While the broader sport tourism research literature has tended to focus on spectator-oriented sports events, particularly the mega events such as the Olympic Games, it is only recently that a concerted research agenda in active sport tourism has emerged, making this volume innovative and relevant.
This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Sport & Tourism.
Heather J. Gibson is a Professor in the Department of Tourism Recreation & Sport Management at the University of Florida, USA. Her research focusses on understanding leisure, sport, and tourism (sport tourism) behaviour in the context of gender and life stage, and the meaning and wellbeing associated with such participation.
Matthew Lamont is a Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University, Australia, with research interests in active sport tourism and sport- based leisure.
Millicent Kennelly is a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University, Australia. Her research interests revolve around active sport tourism and sport event management, with a particular focus on participatory sport events and amateur athletes.
Richard J. Buning is a Lecturer in the tourism discipline at the University of Queensland, Australia. His research interests include sport tourism and event management. Within this area, his research agenda is focused on the progressive experiences of participant based active travel at the individual, event, and community level.