Promoting active sports tourism through technology and evaluating its economic impact: experiences from Cyprus

While the economic impact of major passive sport events is well documented, the contribution of active sports events is scarcely examined. This reflective practice paper contributes towards bridging the gap by examining, in a case study, the economic impact of one of the first big active sport events in Cyprus, organised using the state-of-the-art technology. The paper presents the first commercial web platform and recommender system dedicated to active sports events, which provide all necessary services to customers and thus simplify, and ultimately increase participation in the event. We find strong evidence in support of the idea that active sport events have a strong positive impact on the local and countrywide economy, while the technology can contribute and enable further promotion and better organisation of such events.