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FST Team Attends the Sports ETA Symposium in Portland
Foley Sports Tourism has been a long time member of the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA). Sports ETA is often referred to as an essential resource for sports commissions, sports destinations, sports event owners, and industry partners. The association emphasizes business development and networking opportunities year-round. This past April, Foley Sports Tourism team members traveled across the country to Portland, OR for the 2024 Sports ETA Symposium.
Joining over 1,000 attendees, Christy Thompson, Business Development Manager and Shellie Kichler, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer took part in educational sessions and one on one meetings with national sports organizations. During this years visit the team met with nearly 60 events rights holders to discuss future opportunities to host in Foley. In addition to meeting with event organizations, the team also gained insight on emerging technologies in the sports tourism sector.
Sports ETA presented its 2023 “State of the Industry” Report during the conference. The report underscores the strength of the sports tourism sector, showcasing a direct spending impact of $52.2 billion, which generated a total economic impact of $128 billion. This monumental contribution supported 757,600 full-time and part-time jobs and contributed $20.1 billion in taxes to various sectors of the economy. For the full report, visit 2023 State of the Industry Report.
