Excited to share our participation in MedaWeek 2024: Mediterranean Sports Industry! This key event has been an inspiring opportunity to engage with industry leaders and explore advancements in sports technology, sustainability, and economic growth across the Mediterranean region. We’re grateful to the organizers and participants for fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation 🚀
📍 MEDAWEEK BARCELONA 2024 I The ‘Mediterranean Sport Industry Forum’, moderated by Mr. Maurici Carbó Lisbona, CEO of Sports Tourism Consulting, explored the role that sport plays in the development of the Mediterranean region from the following two points of view: ▶️ BUSINESS & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES 🔸 The emergence of sports events in the region enhances tourist attractiveness. Sports tourism, comprising 10% of global tourist flow, is poised for substantial growth with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 12% from 2021 to 2027. The active engagement of the local community is identified as a key success factor that organizers, rights holders, and destinations must prioritize. Panelists talked about this topic: 🗨️ Mr. Ignasi Armengol, General Director of Barcelona Capital Nàutica: “Major sporting events have a great economic return for the organizing cities. Proof of this was the recent celebration of the 37th America's Cup Barcelona, which is expected to bring to the city a total of 1.2 billion euros, in addition to the parallel activities that were organized during this event, such as 70 congresses related to sailing, sailing, and decarbonization in the nautical sector”. 🗨️ Jan Esteller Subirats, Founder of UniQ Sports: “Sporting events help to deseasonalize the tourist season, not only in summer, but at any time of the year, and have an economic impact on small towns, municipalities and villages where they are organized, allowing many hotels to remain open in autumn or winter”. ▶️ SOCIAL INTEGRATION & POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 🔸Football, one of the driving forces behind sports tourism in the world, increasingly involves companies committed to the environment and social inclusion. A good example is the World Football Summit, which connects over 120.000 of the football industry’s decision-makers who want to design a sustainable football industry. 🗨️ Ms. Cristina Morena Sánchez, Senior Marketing and Business Development Director at the World Football Summit, pointed out that “the most sustainable initiatives are the most competitive because they are the main option for cities hosting major sporting events.” In addition, this platform actively supports initiatives that foster social inclusion: “In all our sporting events, we ensure that a minimum of 20% of the participants are women.” 🗨️ On the other hand, Mr. Joan Carbonell Rodriguez, CEO of Naturetime Events, emphasized the sustainable practices linked to outdoor sports: “Athletes who choose the natural environment become aware of the preservation of the environment, the importance of recycling, flora and fauna, and cultural heritage. The Mediterranean is an ideal region for outdoor sports, even in the low season, because of its climate and rich natural environment”.