A Gold Medal for Sports Tourism
Guest Correspondence
SRQ DAILY SATURDAY PERSPECTIVES EDITION
SATURDAY AUG 10, 2024 |
BY ERIN DUGGAN
As we enter the final weekend of the 2024 Olympic Games, the world’s eyes remain fixed on hometown heroes – locals who have so mastered their sport that they’ve become not only champions but ambassadors for their communities.
Competing on the global stage, however, starts with dedicated training at home. And that’s where our team at Visit Sarasota County comes into play.
Here in Sarasota County, we are privileged to feature high-caliber athletic facilities that attract talent from across the state, country, and beyond all year long. From Nathan Benderson Park to Selby Aquatic Center, these venues are where athletes at all levels – professional, amateur and recreational – come to play and stay.
One such competitor is 2024 Olympic Swim Team Member and Sarasota native Emma Weyant. Just last month, we signed our first-ever Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with Emma to highlight our commitment to promoting local talent, fostering community pride through sports tourism and showcasing our home as a training ground for champions.
As Emma has competed this summer, we have featured her local story – from swimming for the Sarasota Sharks to her favorite places around town to unwind – across our digital marketing efforts. All these have come together to position Sarasota County as a premier destination for visitors, sports enthusiasts and sporting events.
We’ve learned a great deal from our partnership and view this as a precedent for future initiatives with local athletes and personalities. Because after all, sports tourism is a pivotal driver of visitation in our community. So much so, in our 2023 fiscal year, we welcomed more than 264,000 attendees who generated nearly $80 million in economic impact at sporting events supported by VSC grants that come from Tourist Development Tax Dollars.
These numbers are only possible thanks to our Sports team’s close collaboration with the Sarasota County Parks and Recreation department. Every year, under their direction, we facilitate over 75 sporting events – and this portfolio is ever expanding.
We’ve seen such success by leaning into our 365 days of sunshine. Rowing, swimming and baseball are strong attractors for us, as are beach volleyball, beach soccer, equestrian, tennis, pickleball and dragon boat races to name just a few.
Even more “niche” sports, when taken in totality, generate substantial impact. You may not know that some of your fellow neighbors moved down here to utilize our croque facilities, which have drawn both national and international tournaments. Or that we have the oldest ongoing BMX track in the United States right along Tuttle Avenue. We’re constantly bringing in new sports – from the widely known to those just emerging – to enrich the experiences for our spectators and athletes alike.
This summer and all year long, we’re committed to keeping Sarasota County top of mind and first in line as a preferred place to train and compete – for coaches, athletes, and, of course, future hometown heroes.
Erin Duggan is president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County.
Photo courtesy Visit Sarasota County: Emma Wyant.
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