Sports Tourism in Limerick City (Ireland): an assessment of its impact in tourism terms

Abstract

The study has examined this by exploring an extensive range of literature relevant to the topic’s history and in the case of Limerick city, influential recent events like the Special Olympics 2010. It has explored the topic of sports tourism and its impact by interviewing key stakeholders and identifying whether they utilise sports tourism to gain maximum exposure of Limerick city and the Shannon Region to tourists of all multitudes. The paper has considered whether tourists and local residents associate sport as having a positive impact on a county in terms of media and advertising. This was demonstrated by focusing on two key groups- tourists and locals using surveys designed by the researchers. The data in the research process was obtained from tourists, local residents, key stakeholders within the Shannon Region using semi-structured interviews, surveys and from relevant literature in terms of both a global and a national level perspective. The literature and data was analysed by comparing different opinions and from research that has previously been investigated. Based on the findings from the research methods employed by the writer, it is anticipated that the aims and objectives of the study will be met in showing the reader that it is evident that sports tourism has always existed and played a vital role in terms of its impact on the economy of a locality, that it continues to do so today and will likely long continue into the future.