Assessing The Tourism Benefits Of An Open Access Sports Tournament: The 1989 B.C. Winter Games

Abstract

This article presents a data-gathering methodology designed to be used with open- access hallmark events to defect the tourism spending associated with such events. The methodology includes a triangulation estimate of spectator numbers, which when com bined with participant numbers and the respective expenditure records provides an overall estimate of tourist direct spending. The methodology is tested on a regional sports tournament and reveals that even a relatively small-scale hallmark event can generate considerable tourist expenditure.