"Sport events for tourism development - innovative promotion techniques -

Case: EuroBasket 2013, Slovenia

Miha Lesjak (PhD candidate)

University of Primorska,

Faculty of Tourism Studies Turistica

Portorož, Slovenia

QUESTION

HOW CAN YOU SPEND 3,8 millions $ IN 30 SEC?

SUPER BOWL TOURISM PROMOTION

• Ecuador made history with first-ever tourism Super Bowl ad

• Cost 3,8m$ to reach an estimated 115 million USA television audience

• Tourism officials predict the Super Bowl gamble will pay off in the form of 13,000 more Americans tourists visiting Ecuador in year 2015 and a $60 million boost in tourism revenue."

EUROBASKET 2013

DEFINITIONS OF MEGA EVENT

• Mega/major events by way of their size of significance, are those that yield extraordinary high levels of tourism, media coverage, prestige, or economic impact for the host community, venue or organization (Getz, 2007)

• MEGA IMPACT (RATHER THAN SIZE)• PUT THE CITY OR EVEN COUNTRY ON THE TOURIST

MAP!• SMALL/EMERGING COUNTRIES WHICH NEED MORE

PROMOTION BENEFIT!• IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM BEFORE SPORT/RESULT

FACTS OF EUROBASKET 2013• 55.000 fans visited Slovenia (Croatia, Italy,

Finland, Lithuania…)… 30.000 tourists!• More than 1.300 journalist • EB present (TV& other media) in 167 countries

(global sponsors)• Visit of important people (presidents,

politicians, business decision makers, etc)• 24 teams from Europe – tourism opportunities• Benefits for destinations (Koper, LJ, Jesenice)

EUROBASKET 2013• Total revenue 13,89 million (total cost 12,93

million) - assessment of the total financial benefit of organizer KZS was approx. 0.5 million EUR

• The sport event tourist spent 180 EUR on average/per day (accommodation, food, transport).

• Average visitor stay (main motive attending EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia) was 5,7 days

• 3 days more than on average other tourists stay in Slovenia (2,87). (KZS, 2013;SORS, 2013)

„WELL KNOWN“ PROMO ACTIONS

INNOVATIVE TECHNIQES OF PROMOTION

• POSTOJNA CAVE IS THE SLOVENIAN MOST VISITED TOURIST ATTRACTION…

• EB 2013 WAS THE BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF SLOVENIA

• EB 2013 OFFICIAL DRAW WAS HELD IN POSTOJNA CAVE!

• FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTING EVENTS – DRAW IN THE CAVE (UNDERGROUND)

• PROMOTION OF SLOVENIA!

PHOTOS

INNOVATIVE TECHNIQES OF PROMOTION

• Basketball on the sea (KOPER) • Tournament ex-players from SLO – CRO - ITA

INNOVATIVE METHODS OF PROMOTION (PEOPLE)

• Fans turn professional players for a day• 10 winners of an interactive photo

competition – post the best „fan photo“ – social media

• Dreams of every fan – the day spent as professional player (national team)

• Important for national promotion – tickets sale

OFFICIAL MASCOT OF EUROBASKET

• LIPKO official (more than) mascot of EB 2013• WHAT WAS HIS ROLE?

LIPKO PROMOTION• Lipko skydived into Stožice basketball stadium

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI2nGgnLSdQ

• Lipko playing basketball on the highest mountain in Slovenia (Triglav - 2864 m)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrKxm6Mwhmw

• Lipko plays basketball underwater

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azXQh2jV2Ac

ANSWER FOR 3,8m$ QUESTION!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toZaCpIzDqg

ALL YOU NEED IS ECUADOR (LOVE)

QUESTIONS

Thank You