Sport, Tourism and Authenticity

Abstract

The thesis underpinning the theoretical discussions presented in this paper is that sport has unique advantages over other types of cultural tourist attractions when considered in the context of commodification and authenticity. Leiper's tourist attraction system is used to situate sport as an attraction and to argue that sport is a reflection of local culture. Sport attractions are then critically considered in relation to the concepts of commodification and authenticity. Key characteristics of sport attractions include: (1) the uncertainty of outcomes; (2) the role of athletic display; (3) the kinaesthetic nature of sport activities; and (4) the visceral nature of many types of sporting engagements. The combination of these traits increases the likelihood that sport attractions are, more than many other types of tourist attractions, able to withstand the processes of commodification and, therefore, are more likely to provide sport tourists with authentic experiences.