INDUSTRY CONFIDENTIAL V6, I4

Check in every issue for the unfiltered thoughts of our guest writers and contributors as they discuss the hottest topics in sports tourism.

In this issue, our guest writer explores why where we meet is now as important as why we meet in sports tourism.

The destination matters. In an industry built on place, experience, and economic impact, it’s surprising how often the conversation about sports tourism conferences and trade shows overlooks one critical truth: destination matters… Profoundly.

Sports tourism professionals spend their careers selling communities, events, brands, and customer service. We quantify hotel room nights, showcase venues, build narratives around culture, and highlight the visitor experience as a competitive advantage. Yet when it comes time to choose where the industry gathers, some conference organizers still operate as if the location is secondary to the agenda.

In today’s crowded marketplace of conferences, summits, expos, and trade shows, that mindset no longer holds. With more options than ever to invest time, money, and energy into professional and business development, sports tourism professionals are making increasingly strategic decisions about which events they attend, and where those events are held is often the deciding factor.

The destination is part of the product. From both the destination perspective and the event rights holder standpoint, the host city is no longer just a backdrop. It is part of the conference brand.

Ease of travel matters. Direct flights, affordable airfare, and convenient transportation can mean the difference between strong attendance and a half-empty ballroom. A destination that requires multiple connections, long drives, or high travel costs immediately raises the barrier to participation, particularly for smaller organizations, emerging professionals, and rights holders operating on lean budgets.

Beyond logistics, what the city offers plays directly into perceived value.

Does the destination have an energetic downtown? Walkable neighborhoods? A vibrant food scene? Unique cultural attractions? Museums, waterfronts, sports history, entertainment districts, and outdoor experiences. These aren’t distractions from the conference; they are enhancements.

Sports tourism professionals don’t just attend conferences to sit in sessions. They attend to build relationships. Some of the most meaningful business conversations happen over dinner, during a walk through a vibrant city center, at a local attraction, or while experiencing what the destination does best. Cities with energy, authenticity, and things to explore naturally foster better networking, stronger connections, and more memorable events.

The “vibe” matters, and it always has. What’s changed is that professionals now have a choice.

On occasion, a location can become a deterrent.

On the flip side, hosting conferences in cities known for high costs can quietly suppress attendance.

Expensive hotels, costly meals, high transportation fees, and elevated registration prices create a compounding effect. When professionals calculate the full cost of attending, not just the conference fee but the total trip, many simply opt out.

This is especially true for rights holders, smaller destinations, nonprofit organizations, and professionals whose budgets are under constant scrutiny.

Ironically, some of the most expensive cities are chosen for prestige, sponsorship potential, or organizer convenience rather than attendee accessibility. But prestige doesn’t pay invoices. At some point, value must outweigh optics.

If the sports tourism industry prides itself on inclusivity, collaboration, and growth, then pricing a significant portion of professionals out of participation undermines those very goals.

Few issues generate more quiet frustration than forced hotel room blocks.

Conference organizers often require attendees to book within designated hotels to meet contractual obligations with host properties. While understandable from a business standpoint, this practice increasingly clashes with modern travel behavior.

Many professionals belong to hotel loyalty programs offering reduced rates, points, and perks that often beat conference “discounted” pricing. Others prefer alternative lodging for budget reasons, proximity, or personal comfort.

When attendees feel forced into higher-priced room blocks, sometimes under threat of additional conference fees, it sends a message that their financial realities are secondary to the organizer's margins.

In an era where professionals can choose from dozens of events each year, policies that feel restrictive or punitive don’t encourage loyalty. They quietly push people elsewhere.

Smart conference organizers are beginning to realize that flexibility builds goodwill, and goodwill drives repeat attendance far more effectively than enforcement ever will.

Of course, content still reigns; a destination alone cannot carry a conference, but it’s no longer enough.

Time of year matters. Competing events matter. Family schedules matter. Fiscal cycles matter.

Most importantly, the quality and relevance of content remain essential. Attendees evaluate: Are the speakers credible, relatable, and current? Are the topics addressing fundamental challenges in sports tourism today? Will I learn something actionable? Are the right people in the room?

Networking opportunities are equally critical. A conference filled with colleagues, but lacking decision-makers, loses value quickly. Professionals want access to rights holders, destination leaders, sponsors, innovators, and industry influencers.

Downtime also matters more than organizers often acknowledge. Space for informal meetings, client interactions, brainstorming, and experiencing the destination strengthens both business outcomes and attendee satisfaction.

The strongest conferences blend high-level content, curated networking, and authentic destination experiences, not at the expense of any of them.

The most pressing issue facing sports tourism conferences is the cost equation, particularly how it is equitably distributed.

Registration fees continue to rise. Destinations pay significant hosting fees. Vendors and sponsors make substantial investments in booth space, visibility, and access. Meanwhile, many event rights holders, whose presence often drives attendance, have most of their expenses covered, as has long been the structure in our industry.

This dynamic raises an increasingly uncomfortable question: when does the industry recalibrate toward a more equitable model?

While no one disputes that organizing high-quality events is expensive, the current structure often places the heaviest financial burden on those who already operate within tight margins, in destinations, and in small businesses trying to grow. And every conference organizer fears that if everyone has to pay equally, event rights holders won’t attend, and then destination won’t either.

If conference attendance becomes financially unsustainable for a large segment of the industry, the long-term health of these events is at risk.

Equity doesn’t mean eliminating profits or lowering standards. It means creating pricing models that reflect shared value, shared responsibility, and long-term sustainability.

Just as event rights holders choose host cities carefully, attendees now choose conferences with the same scrutiny. Those who understand this shift, who treat destinations as a strategic asset, prioritize attendee experience, embrace flexibility, and pursue equitable cost structures, will thrive. Those that rely solely on tradition, prestige, or exclusivity will find shrinking audiences and diminishing relevance.

We should make a call for intentional hosting. We know sports tourism thrives on intentionality. We don’t select event locations randomly; we analyze, strategize, and align goals. It’s time conference organizers apply the same rigor to where and how they host industry gatherings.

Choose cities that are accessible and welcoming. Partner with destinations that enhance the experience. Respect attendee budgets and travel preferences. Design events that balance education, networking, and authentic place-based experiences.

In sports tourism, more than in any other industry, place is never neutral; it shapes who attends. Who attends shapes the conversations. And those conversations shape the future of the industry.

In a marketplace full of options, destination isn’t just a detail. It’s a decision driver.