This volume serves to expand theory-driven understandings of active sport tourism by showcasing five empirical studies examining a variety of active sport tourism contexts. These include table tennis at the World Veteran’s Championships, ultramarathon, running/cycling/triathlon, skiing/snowboarding, and a range of issues such as active ageing and travel-related carbon footprints. The volume also seeks to explore possibilities for future directions in active sport tourism and act as a catalyst for ongoing scholarly inquiry.

Travelling to take part in active sporting pursuits is growing in popularity around the world. Active sport tourism encompasses travel to participate in a myriad sports, as well as in competitive participatory sport events. Much of the recent growth in active sport tourism is associated with travel to compete in participatory sport events, notably the big city international marathon events; amateur running, triathlon, and cycling events; Masters Games; and team sport tournaments. While the broader sport tourism research literature has tended to focus on spectator-oriented sports events, particularly the mega events such as the Olympic Games, it is only recently that a concerted research agenda in active sport tourism has emerged, making this volume innovative and relevant.

This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Sport & Tourism.