Asia to be home of “the away gameâ€
SINGAPORE – Abacus president and CEO Robert Bailey says that the Beijing Olympics will be an inspiration for Asia and the travel industry has begun to see just how powerful a driver of growth that sports tourism can be.
Added to that, certain sports that used to be the preserve of Western countries – such as rugby, cricket and soccer – also see the prospect of growth in Asia.
He said, “There is a sort of gold rush as these codes seek greater exposure here.
“With a number of countries within the region now boasting first-class facilities and many more developing them, Asia is on track to be the home of the away game.â€
Bailey said mega sporting events could generate more tourist business by spotlighting a host city and there were many opportunities for travel agents to specialise in this emerging, high-end niche segment as regional demand grew.
Abacus vice-president for content marketing and North Asia, Patrick Lai, said that even after the Olympic Games was over Beijing and China would continue to enjoy the benefits of hosting the Games.
“With the construction of ‘The Birds Nest’, Beijing’s 91,000-seat national stadium, the city now has a jewel in its sports hosting crown and this and other Olympic facilities will bump Beijing to the top of the consideration list for other premium international and regional sporting events,†he said.
“Travel agents who specialise in dealing with the complexity of arranging for their customers to attend major sports events in China and who manage to build up contacts and connection with local organisers will be able to create an interesting new business segment for themselves,” Lai added.
Sports that have a traditional fan-base in western countries are becoming popular in Asia and, due to the population numbers, governing bodies now view Asia as the new frontier for growth.
Formula 1 Grand Prix has moved a number of the races from European or North American cities to cities in Asia and F1 races are now held in Tokyo, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Earlier this year, the English Premier League floated an idea to play one round of the competition, or five matches, in cities outside of England.
The extreme dedication that sports teams evoke from their fans can work to Asia’s advantage, said Bailey.
“The pulling power of sports is such that true fans will overcome their fears of the new and different, to follow their teams in foreign fields.
“Fan groups such as those seen at the Hong Kong Sevens, Formula 1 and cricket in Australasia are a taste of things to come,†he said.
Ian Jarrett
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