STEENA JOY – Mumbai
Sport is a really great tourism driver. According to Chris Foy, head of 2012 Games Unit at VisitBritain, “Studies show that while the average spend of a normal visitor is 500 pound sterling, that of a sports tourist is 900 pound sterling.” Which is why Great Britain is using the Olympic Games to drive tourism to the country. Combine that with Premier league football, tennis (with Wimbledon just around the corner) and golf – Great Britain is all set to clock the tourist numbers it is expecting.
To top this off, on July 6, the National Football Museum will open to the public in Manchester. This museum, with a lot of interactive activities, expects to see around 350,000 visitors a year. Entry is free.
Foy informed that, “There are 538 golf courses in Scotland – not surprising since golf is Scotland’s national game. While Wales also has its fair share with nearly 200 golf courses.” As far as Premier League football is concerned, tourists can take in stadium tours, including Wembley (which Foy describes as one of the most sparkling stadiums in the world) and sports museums. “Then there is Wimbledon with its strawberries and Centre Court. England is also home to Formula One racing. So there is a lot a sports visitor can look forward to,” he stated.
