Sports Tourism Rebounds After Pandemic Recession

Sports tourism has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, but Tri-City Tourism is working to change that.

“Sport was one of the first groups to reopen (post-pandemic),” said Hector Cruz, vice president of development and community engagement for Access to third-tier cities. “Our hospitality industry needs it. We do rely on the sports market to help drive tourism back to third-tier cities.”

In 2019, 209 sports and convention groups spent more than $3360.40 million on visitors. While Visit Tri-Cities lumps sports and conferences together in its report, sporting events account for 50 to <> percent of these numbers.

In 2020, visitor spending for sports and convention groups dropped to $420.<> million after the pandemic.

In 2023, it’s estimated that more than $26 million will be generated from sports and convention groups. In August alone, the expected economic impact is projected to be $1.3 million, with 18,750 participants, thanks to four confirmed conventions.

Cruz said Tri-Cities is a great sporting destination for a number of reasons. “The three cities have the venues and infrastructure to host events at the local, regional and even national levels. We’re right in the center of these major metropolitan areas, so we can draw all these players to where they only need three to five hours to drive,” he said.

But Cruz noted that many organizations are still unfamiliar with facilities in the area, so constant advocacy is essential. “A lot of them don’t know where we are,” he said. “Our job is to sell Tri-Cities as a premier sports destination.”

Cruz said that in addition to the ability to successfully support sporting events, customer service in the region is attractive to event organizers.

The Tri-Cities Sports Commission, established in 1996, also plays a role in promoting the area to sports organizers. It exists to promote team-driven efforts in the sports tourism industry.

Visit Tri-Cities attends trade shows five times a year, meeting with about 20 potential event planners. Most recently, in July, the team participated in an esports convention in Toronto.

Cruz said Visit Tri-Cities is trying to go a step further and make it a one-stop experience with top-notch customer service for event organizers.

“We’ve built trust with these campaign owners,” Cruz said. “We went out and met with them one-on-one. The next step is for us to invite them to Tri-Cities and show them what we can offer. ”

Some high-profile sporting events have found success in the three cities. The Water Follies seaplane race and air show is expected to have an estimated $280.<> million economic impact.

The National Softball Association’s state softball tournament is expected to bring in $130.<> million in revenue.

The tourism agency recently secured the right to host the 2024 and 2027 National Horseshoe Pitchers’ Association World Championships. Each event is expected to generate an economic impact of $100 million as 1,000 participants travel to the region to compete for the world title.

Kevin Lewis, CEO and president of Visit Tri-Cities, said in a press release: “The two-week event will showcase the world’s best pitchers, and we look forward to their arrival. ”

The Northwest Games (NWAC) basketball tournament returns to Tri-Cities this year for the first time since 2015. Construction of Columbia Basin College’s new Student Recreation Center helped secure a three-year bid for the event. The last time the event was held at the Toyota Center was in 2015.

“It’s nice to bring it back here,” Cruz said. “It’s a huge win because we’re trying to bring the business back to the community. This is significant not only for the CBC and the City of Pascoe, but also for the region as a whole because of the economic impact of the event. ”

In 2019, Visit Tri-Cities conducted a sports facility feasibility study to understand the needs and demands of the sports world. It indicates the need for new sports facilities infrastructure. The study has been handed over to municipalities to implement as budgets permit.

Pasco is in the middle of the multi-phase A Street football complex with an expected completion date of 2025.

The 30-acre West Village Community Park will feature basketball courts, pickle courts and athletic fields in the Badger Mountain South area. The first phase of the project will begin this fall.

Kennewick recently installed 15 Peak Fields and hopes to be certified by the Pickleball Association of America to host competitive events.

“This is one of the fastest-growing sports, and we’re going to be one of the only venues in the region to offer this sport,” Cruz said.

The Red Hill Event Center and Tri-City Circuit in Cilicland relaunched in 2021 with an economic impact of nearly $100 million.