The third edition of the World Sports Tourism Congress (WSTC), organised by UN Tourism and the Government of the Region of Madrid, will be held on November 28 and 29 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

In a press statement, UN Tourism says the grand event, organised at the home ground of top Spanish football club, Real Madrid, will be held under the theme ‘Tourism and Sport Creating a Lasting Legacy for Destinations’ this year.

For two days the congress aims to bring together leading personalities from the worlds of sport and tourism to share innovative ideas

It says that for two days the congress aims to bring together leading personalities from the worlds of sport and tourism to share innovative ideas, best practices and knowledge on the subject. 

This includes its economic impact, its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strategies to effectively promote destinations through sporting events and sponsorships.

The statement adds that sports tourism has the potential to drive social, economic and environmental initiatives, accelerate development, and create a lasting positive legacy on destinations. 

UN Tourism says that this year, the WSTC has crafted a comprehensive experience that will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and personal testimonials from key figures from the sports tourism industry and UN Tourism Ambassadors for Sustainable Tourism.

The focus will encompass a range of topics, including the integration of sports tourism into government agendas, the importance of the afterlife of sport infrastructures, key success factors for hosting sports events, effective sponsorship strategies, the growing trend of hosting amateur sports events among others. 

The statement adds that this year’s edition will count on the knowledge and expertise of organisations such as the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Global Sports Innovation Centre, the International Master Games Association and many other leading sporting organisations

Following the success of the inaugural edition in Lloret de Mar in 2021 and the second edition at Zadar in Croatia, in 2023, the WSTC continues raising awareness about the vital role of sports tourism in driving economic growth and social development in various destinations, says UN Tourism. 

The statement adds that in addition to evaluating the impacts of this expanding sector, the Congress also examines its potential benefits, such as its connections to health and well-being, as well as its significance in promoting destinations to larger and more diverse audiences.