Home to over 422,000 people, London boasts an impressive resume of hosting sporting events from grassroots to major international events and everything in between. When the competition ends, there's much to see and do including countless festivals and events, one-of-a-kind restaurants, family-friendly attractions, along with unique nature trails and cultural experiences.
It involves any activity in which people are attracted to a particular location for a sporting event (participant, spectator, etc.) and the social and economic benefits produced as a result of this event. In 1997, the City of London approved a Sport Tourism initiative which is now directed by Tourism London, who's mission is to drive sport tourism in London through bidding and hosting events, while also support local sport organizations in their event hosting efforts.
The sport tourism industry in Canada represents over $6.8 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors, making it the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. In 2013, London hosted the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, the largest ever event hosted in the city which had a total attendance of over 62,000, and resulted in $42.6 million in economic activity in London according to the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (now Sport Tourism Canada).
Most of these benefits occur at the time of the event, however these events also leave lasting legacies on the community for many years. The Canada Games Aquatic Centre and the Western Fair Sports Centre upgrades are two examples of local infrastructure legacies through sport hosting.
London has hosted numerous major regional, national, and international sporting events in the past, and we are always working on what events we can bring to the city next. Contact us to find out how we can help you bring your event to London!
Tourism London is a proud member of Sport Tourism Canada.