Hosting Annual International Sporting Events and Tourism: Formula 1, Golf or Tennis (CEIBS Working Paper, No. 013/2020/ECO)

Hosting sports events to attract international tourists is a common policy practised by many host governments. Hosting mega-sports events like the Olympics are said to leave a legacy that could impact the attractiveness of a country/city in the long term. However, the opportunity to host these mega-events are limited and expensive. This study considers the economic impact of hosting annual international sporting events, specifically the extent to which Formula-1, ATP Tennis, and PGA Golf can attract international tourists. Using monthly data from 1985 – 2018 and we show that the effect differs from one sport to another within a country, and the same sport across countries. Hosting the Formula-1 is most effective for Canada but has no significant impact in the UK. ATP tennis has a significant impact on all three countries but may not be the star event. Policy-makers must consider carefully the sport that gives the best bang-for-the-buck.