The III World Congress of Sports Tourism will bring together world leaders in Madrid, Spain

Over two days, under the theme “Tourism and Sport: Creating a Lasting Legacy for Destinations”, the congress will bring together leading figures from the world of sport and tourism to share innovative ideas, best practices and knowledge on the topic, including its economic impact, its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strategies to effectively promote destinations through sporting events and sponsorships.

Sport tourism has the potential to boost social, economic and environmental initiatives, accelerate development and create a positive and lasting legacy in destinations. This year, the WSTC has designed a comprehensive experience that will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and personal testimonials from key figures in the sport tourism industry and UN Tourism Ambassadors for Sustainable Tourism.

The focus will cover a variety of topics including the integration of sports tourism into government agendas, the importance of the lifespan of sports infrastructure, key success factors for hosting sporting events, effective sponsorship strategies and the growing trend of hosting amateur sporting events, among others. This year’s edition will feature the knowledge and expertise of organisations such as the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the World Centre for Sport Innovation, the International Masters Games Association and many other leading organisations.

The World Sports Tourism Congress through the years
Following the success of the inaugural edition in Lloret de Mar in 2021 and the second edition in Zadar, Croatia, in 2023, the WSTC continues to raise awareness of the vital role of sports tourism as a driver of economic growth and social development in various destinations. In addition to assessing the impacts of this expanding sector, the Congress also examines its potential benefits, such as its connections to health and wellbeing, as well as its importance in promoting destinations to wider and more diverse audiences.

Source: UN Tourism.