Playbook - Winter 2019

“More than half of Americans are actively engaged with the tourism industry.”

– Longwoods International

WINTER 2019

PLAYBOOK Symposium Important Dates Sports ETA Award Nominations Event Hosting Opportunity American Resident Sentiment Toward Tourism

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National Headquarters 9916 Carver Road, Suite 100 Cincinnati, OH 45242 Telephone (513) 281-3888 Website www.SportsETA.org Staff Alan (Al) R. Kidd, President & CEO Elizabeth Young, Vice President Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement Madison Fante, Member Services Coordinator Rebecca Myles, Sponsorship & Advertising Jennifer Stoll, Ph.D., CSEE, Research & Education Glen Schorr, Events Gustavo Costa, Facilities

contents Letter From President and CEO.................................................... 1 Member Services News ............................................................. 3-4 Nominating Committee Seeks Industry Leaders ........................ 4 2020 Women’s Summit ................................................................ 5

Board of Directors Officers Chair: Janis Burke, CSEE, Chief Executive Officer, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority Vice Chair/Chair-Elect: Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Treasurer: Janis Ross, CSEE, Executive Director, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Secretary: Don Dukemineer, CSEE, CHSP, Deputy Director of Sports Tourism, Foley Sports Tourism Past Chair: Kindra Fry, CSEE, SMP, Executive Director, Bryan College Station Sports + Events

Symposium Important Dates ..................................................... 7-8 SLF Donation Request .................................................................. 9 Sports ETA Awards ...................................................................... 10 2019 4S Summit Recap ............................................................... 11 2019 CE Summit Recap ............................................................... 12 Reshuffle Your Reading Library in 2020 .................................... 13 Sports ETA Offers Event Hosting Opportunity ...................... 15-16

Directors Ashleigh Bachert, CSEE, Executive Director, Durham Sports Commission Derek Bombeck, CSEE, Sales Development Manager, Lincoln CVB John David, CSEE, COO, USA BMX Josh Dill, CSEE, Director of Sports & Events, Visit Frisco Pete Harvey, Director of Sports Development, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission Gen Howard, CSEE, Senior Sales Manager, Louisville Tourism Meaghan Hughes, CSEE, Senior Sales Manager, Ann Arbor Sports Commission Frank Lett, CSEE, Senior Associate Executive Director/ Director of Sports Marketing, Visit Kingsport Matt Libber, Executive Director, Maryland SoccerPlex Brent Nelson, Sr. VP of Business Development, Greater Orlando Sports Commission Ray Palmer, CSEE, President/CEO, Pensacola Sports Hank Pivarnik, CSEE, Director of Sports Sales, Hilton Worldwide Daniel Rush, CMP, CASE, Vice President of Global Sports and Event Sales, MGM Resorts International Christine Strong Simmons, Senior Director of Operations, USA Fencing Marissa Werner, CSEE, Senior Sports & Entertainment Manager, VISIT Milwaukee J.D. Wood, CSEE, General Manager, Panama City Beach Sports Complex

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American Resident Sentiment Toward Tourism ............... 17-19

Looking to share your expertise?

Information-sharing is a founding principle of Sports ETA, and the industry knowledge among the Sports ETA membership lends itself to unprecedented expertise.

Sports ETA encourages members to share information with your peers.

Contact Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement, at Meagan@SportsETA.org to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of the Sports ETA Playbook.

To include your news in the weekly Get in the Game eNews, send press releases and articles to info@sportseta.org.

Cover “More than half of Americans are actively engaged with the tourism industry.”

– Longwoods International Read full article on page 17. /

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Letter From the President and CEO CSEE Credits Offered at TEAMS Conferences Under a newly formed agreement with Northstar, the parent company for TEAMS, we have agreed to provide CSEE educational tracks at TEAMS Conferences. This year we had 66 people register, and due to travel delays that prevented a few members from joining us, we ended up with 58 attendees!

Congratulations to Our Past Board Member Matt Dunn has started a company focused on crafting unique open water swimming event experiences called Salty Sports Society. Congrats!

On the Economy There has been much debate among pundits on an economic slowdown, some even calling for a mild recession.

I recently read an interesting article in MarketWatch that put a new spin on the topic. While the recession supporting comments center on

trade tensions, tariffs, disrupted supply lines and experts slowing, the signs that buffer that include a strong employment market.

number of athletes in NGB and USOPC governance teams but current and past athletes see it as too little too late.

The new point not considered is the high-level of consumerism among millennials and z-generation age groups. Their strong spending (retail spending rose 5.7% in October and above average consumer spending in spring and summer 2018), coupled with credit expansion is an unexpected counter to the recession talks.

The pressure to politicize the USOPC governance from Congress continues to expand with legislation to empower Congress to terminate the USOPC board and decertify NGB’s increased Congressional oversight over the USOPC and 50 NGB’s, a required annual $20 million-dollar funding by NGB’s to SafeSport. There has been talk of Congress reopening the Ted Stevens Act and modifying the current guidelines. In my opinion, Congressional inference and turning this reform process into a political football will not benefit the USOPC or their athletes.

Stay tuned though, things change relatively fast and a slowdown is highly anticipated.

United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Debate on organizational reform inside and outside the confines of the USOPC continues. The USOPC has voted among several by-law modifications to increase the

Your 2020 Calendar for Major U.S. Sports Events February 2: Super Bowl LIV, Miami, Florida April 9-12: The Masters, Augusta, Georgia May 2: The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Kentucky May 24: Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis, Indiana Late May: The start of the Stanley Cup Finals June 4: The start of the NBA Finals July 16-19: The Summer X Games, Minneapolis, Minnesota July 24-August 9: Summer Games in Tokyo August 25-September 6: Paralympic Games in Tokyo September 25-27: The Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, Haven, Wisconsin October 20: The World Series begins 1

THINK BIG!

Al Kidd President and CEO

Reach Your Prospects Every Week Thousands of sports events and tourism professionals are members of Sports ETA, giving your organization the opportunity to push your messaging to a highly targeted audience.

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Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure

Contact Contact Rebecca Myles, Rebecca@SportsETA.org today about advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

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Member Services News We would like to thank all the organizations who have recently joined our growing list of members.

Membership Chart 806 TOTAL

Destinations

(as of 12/15/19)

• Caswell Sports

535

Rights Holder

Destinations

• Memories of Honor • PRIME Pro Events • Rugby Fest Events Ltd • Salty Sports Society

183

Event Owners

88

Industry Partners

2020 CSEE Opportunities Here is a preliminary list of the CSEE opportunities available in 2020. Stay tuned for more education program updates and offerings, including dates and locations. All courses earn participants 4 credit hours.

• Online Course 1

• Rights Holder Summit

• Online Course 2

• Facilities Summit

• Women’s Summit

• Chief Executive Summit

• Symposium CSEE 1

• 4S Summit CSEE Course

• Symposium CSEE 2

• 2020 TEAMS Conference

Visit SportsETA.org/education for more information.

The Vault The Vault, launching early 2020, will be a new membership benefit offering a centralized portal for a variety of content resources. This resource center will house industry research and data, sample documents and templates, whitepapers, industry podcasts, infographics, and even consultant recommendations. You’ll also be able to find recaps of The Pulse.

Resources and tools will continually be added to The Vault to help make your job easier! The Vault will offer a clean and easy-to-search user experience, so that finding the resources needed to support your organization are only a few clicks away. The Vault will only be available to members.

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It’s That Time of Year Again –

Renew Your Membership for 2020!

All of us here at Sports ETA thank you for your membership this past year! Without your loyalty and support, we would not be able to continue growing and evolving.

Thanks to members like you, we have accomplished and implemented several new initiatives this year including: 1. A new brand – Sports ETA. A platform designed to represent a more inclusive organization and incorporates consistent positioning for all current and future programs.

2. Passing of over 100 bylaw changes to expand our footprint of services, strengthen processes, and enables equal rights across all membership categories.

3. The Pulse – A micro-research series

4. Inaugural Sports Facilities Summit and State Association Group 5. Online Education Opportunities 2019 memberships are valid through December 31, 2019. We encourage you to continue taking full advantage of the benefits and resources available to your organization as a Sports ETA member by renewing today.

You can renew your membership one of three easy ways: 1. Pay online 2. Mail payment 3. Call our member services department at 513-281-3888 We are thankful for your ongoing commitment and support of Sports ETA, and we hope that you will continue your membership with us in 2020.

Questions? Contact our member services team at info@sportseta.org or call 513.281.3888.

Nominating Committee Seeking Industry Leaders To Serve On Sports ETA Board Of Directors

Continued growth and success of the Sports Events & Tourism Association requires strong leadership from our dynamic members. Board members serve as representatives of Sports ETA’s 800+ member organizations and help guide the future direction of the Association.

The Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations. Self-nominations are recommended and encouraged.

Learn more about the open positions and the basic responsibilities of the Sports ETA Board of Directors at SportsETA.org/About/Board-of-Directors/Nominations.

To be considered, nominations must be submitted online and received no later than January 17, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information, contact Kindra Fry, Nominating Committee Chair, at kindra@bcssportsandevents.com, or (979) 260-9898. You may also contact the Sports ETA office at (513) 281-3888 or info@sportseta.org.

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April 1 -3, 2020 New Orleans, LA Developed by top women leaders in the sports events and tourism industry, the annual Women’s Summit will inspire you to achieve your career goals. The Sports ETA Women’s Summit offers attendees solutions to build stronger bonds with their community, advocate for themselves, and hone their leadership skills. Attendees will takeaway tools and resources to elevate their personal brand and become more valuable to their organization after attending the Sports ETA Women’s Summit.

Exciting opportunities to take advantage of this year include: • Community Service Project – Living Kits for Homeless Women Homelessness is a persistent issue in New Orleans and has been exacerbated by Hurricane Katrina and rising rental and home prices.

Due to this increase in homelessness, many of the local homeless

Registration

$499 Participants will earn 4 CSEE credits.

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organizations and shelters struggle to provide basic services and resources to New Orleans homeless citizens.

These “living kits” consist of basic hygiene supplies including a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, snack, water and drawstring bag to provide the necessary tools to help these individuals get back on their feet.

Volunteers will prepare and fill these living kits which are then donated to local women’s homeless shelters throughout the city. It’s free to volunteer!

• Yoga & Yogurt A gentle, instructor-led yoga class, followed by a balanced yogurt parfait bar, is the perfect start to a productive day. Hand towels, water, and yoga mats will be provided.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Sports EIC from all of us at Sports ETA There is no time more fitting to say THANK YOU and to wish you a happy holiday season.

April 20 – 23, 2020 Kansas City, MO

Grow professionally / Exchange ideas

The Sports ETA Symposium is the annual meeting of the Sports Events & Tourism Association, the non-profit trade association for the sports events and tourism industry since 1992. Throughout the week, sports destinations meet with hundreds of decision-makers responsible for organizing sports events.

2020 Important Dates Networking from beginning to end is a critical component of a successful Symposium. Start making your travel plans now!

View the full schedule at SportsETA.org/Symposium/Schedule.

One-On-One Appointment Portal Opens – March 13, 2020 One-On-One Appointment Portal Closes – April 3, 2020 Schedules Distributed – April 10, 2020.

**APPOINTMENTS CANNOT BE GUARANTEED IF NOT REGISTERED BY MARCH 1, 2020.

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Hosted by Visit KC and Kansas City Sports Commission

/ Drive more business

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Visit Winston-Salem has been an active member of NASC/

Sports ETA for nearly 10 years and finds the Symposium to be one of the top conferences in the sport tourism industry. As far as education, the NASC/Sports ETA Symposium offerings are unsurpassed; there are always immediate takeaways that we can implemented upon returning to our office. And best of all, the friendships and professional relationships that are formed and cultivated during the Symposium are invaluable!

— Bonny Bernat, CSEE

Senior Sports & Event Sales Manager

Visit Winston S alem

Hotel We have 4 host hotel properties you can choose from: Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Hotel Phillips, and the Marriott.

Visit SportsETA.org/Symposium to make your hotel reservation. The deadline to book your room is March 20, 2020.

Put Your Organization in Front of 1,000+ Industry Professionals Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2020 Symposium.

Contact Rebecca Myles at Rebecca@ SportsETA.org for more information.

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2020 Sports ETA Legacy Fund Donation Request Sports ETA Members: Each year, Sports ETA awards a grant to a non-profit organization that provides at-risk youth, veterans, or physically or intellectually disabled individuals opportunities to participate in sport. Proceeds from the fundraiser directly impact athletes in the host community of our annual Symposium.

To date, Sports ETA and our members have donated more than $150,000 in grants to organizations that leave a legacy in the lives of the athletes who participate in their programs.

As we now prepare for the 2020 Sports ETA Symposium in Kansas City, I hope that you will continue to support the Sports ETA Legacy Fund.

We are pleased to announce the 2020 beneficiary: KC Blind All-Stars Foundation.

KC Blind All-Stars Foundation seeks to imagine, execute, fund, and support the needs and dreams of blind and visually impaired youth who benefit from the Kansas State School for the Blind and the educators who believe in them.

KC Blind All-Stars Foundation is seeking funding to build a new, handicapped-accessible playground at the Kansas State School for the Blind. The existing playground equipment on the KSSB campus in Wyandotte County is a 30- year-old, non-handicapped accessible metal swing set installed directly into hard ground. In order to play on a playground, children are taken off campus to a local park to play. The park is not handicapped-accessible and does not meet the special needs the children require.

KC Blind All-Stars Foundation will use the grant from Sports ETA to provide immeasurable joy and self-discovery, giving these children the opportunity for safe exploration and the physical exercise that they so greatly need - now and for many years to come.

I encourage you to visit SportsETA.org/Legacy-Fund to learn about the variety of ways you can help impact the lives of others.

We appreciate your support!

Pete Harvey, CSEE Sports Legacy Fund Committee Chair

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2020 Sports ETA Member Awards Each year, Sports ETA honors organizations and individuals in the sports events and tourism industry to celebrate their accomplishments and achievements.

The 2020 Member Awards activities, events, marketing campaigns, web strategies, etc. must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2019.

Winning an award doesn’t only give you bragging rights among industry peers, but you and your organization will receive the following benefits: • Press release • Playbook article featuring all award winners • Blog/social post featuring your organization and award • Traveling trophy shipped to your office • Awards for your office • Finalist certificate • All finalists announced during awards presentation at 2020 Symposium • All finalists listed in onsite guide for 2020 Symposium • All finalists tagged in mobile app for 2020 Symposium • Award winner logos for email signatures and website • Opportunity to lead a Symposium session on your award-winning project • Opportunity to contribute to Sports ETA Playbook as a subject matter expert/write an article • Submission video featured on Sports ETA YouTube channel

Timeline Submission Portal Opens – Monday, January 6 Last Day to Submit – Friday, March 13 Winners announced at 2020 Symposium

For more information, visit SportsETA.org/membership/awards-recognition.

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Providence Delivers a Successful 4S Summit It was another successful year for the 4S Summit. More than 150 sports events and tourism leaders attended the three-day summit in Providence, Rhode Island this past October.

During the three-day summit, attendees had the chance to learn new ideas and resources along with best practices to take back to their organization.

“The 4S Summit allows industry professionals to come together to share ideas and best practices about the current trends in sports events and tourism,” said Al Kidd, President & CEO, Sports Events & Tourism Association. “Providence was a terrific host city to cultivate discussions between some of the great minds in our industry.”

One of those attendees was Jarrett Dowling, CSEE Sales Manager at Experience Columbia SC Sports.

She took in several of the 20+ presentations and round tables offered at this year’s summit.

“I think I probably learn the most from listening to successful colleagues during the round tables

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Highlights of the meeting included: - Ending Abuse in Sport: How Sports ETA Can Champion Change in partnership with the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

- Three-time US Olympic Swimmer and Season 39, Survivor competitor Elizabeth Beisel inspired attendees to achieve their dreams while overcoming odds.

- Two-time Super Bowl Champion and former New England Patriot Jarvis Green introduced his company, Oceans97, and discussed his healthy eating initiatives.

- The Second State Association meeting with nearly 20 state group leaders was held. The first-ever state association research report was presented and discussions on state group benefits and structure were held.

- The Fall 2019 CSEE Course, Now Presenting, led by Jason Martinez, Game On Nation, was a hit with 85 attendees. The session focused on the idea that every interaction and every conversation is an opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression on others.

and sessions,” said Dowling. “Hearing their mistakes, successes, and ideas is great for someone like me who is three years into this industry.”

The three-day summit also gave attendees the time and environment to meet other industry leaders. This was one thing Dowling appreciates.

“The 4S Summit is such a great opportunity to network with other professionals in the industry without the pressure of having client appointments,” Dowling said. “Being in this leisurely space gives you that one on one time with the seasoned vets in our industry to ask questions or pick their brain.”

I probably learn the most from listening to successful colleagues during the round tables and sessions.

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— Jarrett Dowling, CSEE , Sales Manager, Experience Columbia SC Sports

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Take into consideration both the head and heart when it comes to your leadership of the team. — Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, President, University of Louisville

Another Successful Chief Executive Summit is in The Books In November,

leaders in the world of sports events and tourism wrapped up another great Chief Executive Summit in Louisville.

These great minds came together to address topics of leadership management, business strategy, and crisis management, all while getting to know the city of Louisville and their colleagues.

“Leadership is a constant learning process and our industry executives can benefit from top business professionals,” said Al Kidd, President and CEO of Sports Events and Tourism Association. “Our Chief Executive Summit gave sports tourism leaders and executives the chance to hear from others in business and learn best practices from leaders in higher education, horse racing, and technology, among others.”

One of the highlights of the Summit was keynote speaker Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, president of the University of Louisville. She discussed principles of leadership and management styles. Jonathan Paris, the Executive Director of Sports Tourism at Visit Myrtle Beach, said he took away several great ideas that he could immediately incorporate into his management.

Dr. Bendapudi suggested to take into consideration both the head and heart when it comes to your leadership of the team,” said Paris. “You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room to be successful.

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And you need to respect and genuinely care for the individuals on your team.”

For Josh Todd, CSEE, Executive Director at Omaha Sports Commission, Jon McGraw made an impression on him. McGraw is a former NFL player and is now the president of the Jon McGraw Foundation, which supports various charitable causes and is a partner at Vision Pursue, a performance mindset training and technology company.

“As a football fan, I was stoked to hear from him,” said Todd. “He really hit home to the group with steps to improve your mindset including shifting your brain foundation, being more aware of thoughts, meditation, and withholding judgment.”

With this year’s Chief Executive Summit being in Louisville, Sports ETA was excited to welcome T. Kevin Flanery, President and CEO of Churchill Downs. Flanery discussed his organization’s approach to maintain top-notch customer experiences.

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“It was impressive to hear the lengths that Churchill Downs goes to listen to the customer, gather customer feedback, and then, most importantly, act on that information,” said Paris.

What would be a trip to Louisville without going to Churchill Downs?

Both Paris and Todd said that was a highlight of their trip and it taught them a little something.

“We in the sports and event side are in the entertainment business,” said Todd. “[Churchill Downs] hit home that it is a year-round destination, not just Derby week experience.

They have expanded their business models to include communitydriven events. Churchill Downs is constantly looking to stay on top by innovating and thinking about the guest experience with every capital improvement they make.”

Sad you missed out on the fun and learning at the 2019 Chief Executive Summit? It will be back next year.

Stay tuned for dates and location!

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Reshuffle Your Reading Library in 2020 J A C K I E R E A U , C E O , G A M E D AY C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

With each new year, it’s a good time to re-assess your strategic plans and how you can grow the business. Here are a few quick resources to subscribe to so you can stay on top of the sports business, tech, and marketing news.

Podcasts

Weekly email briefs

Edison Research estimates that around 90 million people listen to podcasts each month in the United States, a number that’s doubled since 2015. Here are a few to check out.

You probably don’t need another email in your inbox, but here are three good sources to skim each week to stay on top of trends and business ideas.

“The Daily:” Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by New York Times journalism.

“Get in the Game eNews.” A weekly email on industry trends, news, Sports ETA member wins, and professional development. Members are encouraged to submit their news and content.

“Bloomberg Business of Sports:” Michael Barr, Scott Soshnick, and Eben Novy-Williams follow the money in the world of sports, taking listeners inside decisions that power the multibillion dollar industry.

“Sports Techie Daily:” A daily email on trends in sports focusing on organizations, athletes and technological advances.

“HBR IdeaCast:” A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management hosted

by Harvard Business Review.

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“Sports Impact Ticker powered by Connect Sports:” A round up of sports business news released several days a week. You can also

share your organization’s information with a brief form and link to the story.

“Fast Company Compass:” A brief on business, pop culture, and trends worth the regular read.

Subscribe, so you can stay on top of the sports business, tech, and marketing news.

Edison Research estimates that around 90 million people listen to podcasts each month in the United States, a number that’s doubled since 2015.

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THE NATURAL CHOICE FOR CHAMPION SPORTS SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENTS AND SPORTING EVENTS ARE RIGHT AT HOME IN THE NATURAL STATE. WITH THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF FIELDS AND FACILITIES, PLUS PLENTY TO SEE AND DO WHEN THE GAMES ARE OVER, ARKANSAS IS WHERE TEAMS AND THEIR FAMILIES MAKE WINNING MEMORIES. FIND OUT MORE AT ARKANSAS.COM/SPORTS. SEE US AT THE NASC SYMPOSIUM 2020

ARKANSAS.COM/SPORTS

ONE MONTH AWAY OPENING JANUARY 2020 BOOK NOW! cpsports.com

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Sports ETA Offers An Event Hosting Opportunity Sports ETA released an RFP offering the opportunity to host the 4S Summit in 2020 and 2021.

4S Summit, our fall educational conference, is expanding in 2020 to include a concurrent educational event for rights holders. With an anticipated total attendance of 175 people, this presents an ideal opportunity for destinations of all sizes.

Benefits of Hosting The 4S Summit will bring more than 175 visitors to your destination and will generate 300-400 room nights plus at least $50,000 in direct spending with local businesses. An integrated marketing campaign reaching Sports ETA’s 2,500 member contacts. Your destination will be profiled in national media promoting your brand. You’ll take center stage as the host sponsor of the welcome reception.

Janis Ross, CSEE Sports ETA Site Selection Committee Chair

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Proposals are due January 17, 2020.

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The 4S Summit allows industry professionals to come together to share ideas and best practices about the current trends in sports events and tourism. — Al Kidd, President & CEO,

Sports Events & Tourism Association

What makes a great proposal?

• Carefully review the RFP and answer all required elements • Engage your partners: hotels, convention/ conference center, attractions, restaurants • Suggest local speakers and experts • Offer unique ideas for themes, activities, and engagement to make the event memorable • Think outside the box and give us your ideas!

Additionally, you’ll receive benefits outlined below valued at more than $50,000.

- Marketing and promotion • Co-branding opportunities with Sports ETA in year leading up to event • One dedicated direct mail piece to sports event planners showcasing your market ($7,500 value) • Four dedicated email campaigns ($10,000 value) • Logo placement on event website and onsite signage ($5,000 value) • Six social media and blog posts ($6,000 value) • Banner advertisement on mobile app ($5,000 value) • One, 2-page advertorial in Sports ETA Playbook ($5,995 value) - Three complimentary registrations ($1,500 value) - Host sponsorship of welcome reception ($10,000 value) - Opportunity to host private event with rights holder summit attendees ($10,000 value) - Showcase your destination’s sports facilities, hotels, venues, and more S P O R T S E TA

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REMINDER! 2023-2025 Symposium proposals are due January 15, 2020. A proposal can still be submitted without a letter of intent.

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American Resident Sentiment Toward Tourism D E S T I N AT I O N S I N T E R N AT I O N A L

A note from Sports ETA Historically, the gold-standard metric for determining the success of a destination’s tourism efforts sports or otherwise - has been room nights. However, recent years have witnessed a growing buzz related to the role tourism entities play in broader community development.

As opposed to being focused solely on bringing outsiders in, our industry is now charged with evaluating impacts tourism has on the local community financially, socially, and environmentally. Research firm Longwoods International partnered with Destinations International on the following fascinating study assessing resident sentiment - or what locals think - about tourism efforts in communities across the country. While the good news is, residents positively regarded tourism efforts, the study also sheds light on opportunities for improving communication about tourism efforts, tourism sustainability, and continued strengthening of resident education related to tourism’s contribution to community development.

The concept of exploring resident sentiment can be amplified in the sports events segment of tourism, as often times, our larger events create significantly more community impact, which can be both a positive and negative, and they are also often highly visible in the public eye.

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It’s our job as leaders in the sports events and tourism industry to address community development through our efforts from all angles, to reinforce positive sentiment among locals and hedge negative.

This is why you will see Sports ETA dedicate research efforts toward resident sentiment, community development, and related topics as we head into the new year. Our goal is to provide you with the tools to do your job more effectively, for the benefit of your community. You see this theme run deep through Sports ETA’s four pillars: EARN (education, advocacy, resourcing, networking), and there are many exciting things to come.

Jennifer Stoll, PhD, CSEE; jennifer@stollsports.com

Introduction The Global Travel & Tourism industry continues to grow at a healthy pace, but not without some challenges. Over the past decade, we have been witnessing significant resident backlash against tourism growth in several major international destinations including Barcelona, Venice, Amsterdam and Dubrovnik.

In addition, there has been growing concern about the environmental and social impacts increased visitation may have upon natural attractions and local communities (i.e. pollution, depletion/degradation of the resource and sustainability).

As most of this attention has been focused overseas, it has not been generally seen as an American

For all the buzz in the tourism industry about “over tourism” – who ruined Barcelona? -new research from Longwoods International confirms that most Americans support the industry in their state and community.

concern, until recently. As these issues gain media attention globally, our U.S. domestic media has begun asking the same questions and has focused in on some communities across our country that have been debating the challenges of “Mass Tourism,” tourism development, the shared economy in previously “local” neighborhoods and the encouragement of tourism growth.

That being said, Google searches on these topics in the United States typically turn up polite debates over the issues at hand versus the pictures of protests and “hot opposition” we have seen overseas.

Most of the discussion was actually rather polite and thoughtful, rather than emotional. After seeing all this, Longwoods International, a premier tourism market research consultancy, decided to find just how Americans felt about tourism.

Longwoods International conducted a national online survey with a representative sample of 1,500 adults drawn from a consumer research panel. In partnership with Destinations International, the results of this first ever national benchmark survey of American Resident Sentiment Towards Tourism are being made available.

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Here are the highlights: For all the buzz in the tourism industry about “over tourism” – who ruined Barcelona? -- new research from Longwoods International confirms that most Americans support the industry in their state and community.

Despite some local pockets of anti-tourism sentiment, the Longwoods survey of 1500 U.S. residents found broad support for the industry with 70% saying tourism was positive for their state and 63% saying the industry is good for their community.

In fact, more than half of Americans are actively engaged with the tourism industry, if only to recommend or take visitors to local attractions.

And while Americans do believe there are some negative aspects of tourism, 61% say they see the positives of the industry outweighing any negative consequences.

Tourism is seen to deliver a number of benefits, including investment in the local economy, recreational opportunities available to both locals and visitors, better shopping, improved public services and an

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enhanced quality of life. That said, U.S. residents do believe there are a number of negatives associated with the industry, including low-paying, seasonal jobs, traffic and parking problems, overcrowding at local attractions and leisure facilities and higher prices to the detriment of local residents.

Regarding concerns about the environment, tourism is judged as less detrimental environmentally than other types of development.

60% of Americans believe careful planning can ensure tourism development is environmentally friendly.

The survey also found strong support for growing the tourism industry, with 60% voicing support for growth in the industry, and only 12% opposing it.

Regarding publicly funded promotion of tourism, there is strong support for both state and local marketing efforts.

Despite the general support for the industry, more than 40% of respondents do not believe that residents are informed or consulted regarding major tourism development projects.

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In examining the minority of Americans who oppose tourism growth, they tend to be older, less educated, lower income and more rural than the national norm. They also tend to be less traveled, less informed about the tourism industry and less supportive of government promotion of tourism.

They also are not supportive of tourism development projects, with a majority of those who do not support growth of the tourism industry against new tourism development.

In order to prevent a vocal minority from thwarting the broad support the American tourism industry enjoys, it is important for industry leaders to constantly educate their communities about the benefits of the industry and efforts to mitigate the industry’s perceived negative attributes. Open, two-way communication about the industry with government officials at all levels, all segments of the business community and the public is essential. Fact sheets highlighting the tourism industry’s objectives, planning and successes can help keep everyone informed and on message.

concern about tourism growth when it involves more visitors into one’s own destination.

• While the opponents of such growth are in the clear minority, they do have a slightly different profile than most residents surveyed that is led by a general negative outlook to many things beyond tourism. They also tend to be very vocal.

Key takeaways from these conclusions: • Never assume residents understand what you do and how much tourism benefits your local area. You need regular and continuous communications.

• Have a messaging and engagement strategy for every group, especially the “Naysayers!”

• Turn locals into “Brand Ambassadors” so they are engaged in your tourism assets and success.

• Be a part of the solution. Coordinate with policymakers and other areas of economic development and government to make sure tourism is seen as a part of the solution to other community needs.

In partnership with Destinations International, this study will be repeated on an annual basis allowing resident sentiment on current and emerging issues to be monitored and shared with its membership and other stakeholders. We look forward to providing future updates.

To learn more, please visit https:// destinationsinternational.org/featuredpartners to learn more about participating in your own resident sentiment study. *Source - all data property of Longwoods International. https://longwoods-intl.com/

Conclusion The Bottom Line is this: • There is a strong support among residents for tourism in the United States, including its growth.

• Most Americans believe the benefits of tourism growth outweigh the negatives.

• However, most do not see tourism as a direct contributor to their personal income, so they may not be very engaged in tourism-related issues.

• Residents are generally very supportive of state and local tourism promotion efforts. There is an underlying “Not in my backyard!”

19

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