Huddle Up Group, Southeast Tourism Society Announce New Partnership

The Southeast Tourism Society (STS) and Huddle Up Group have announced their new industry partnership. This partnership will establish sports tourism consulting services to assist and support destinations that are looking to expand sports tourism efforts in their communities.

STS finds a natural alliance in Huddle Up Group as both organizations are dedicated to promoting and preserving sports recreation opportunities at tourism destinations throughout the Southeast. Huddle Up Group recognizes that empowering sports organizations and non-profits is key to strengthening communities and attracting visitors to key locations through sports tourism. Drawing on their collective leadership and experience, Huddle Up Group provides organizations and non-profits the ability to collaborate effectively, both internally and externally. This endeavor creates a dynamic that results in a “win-win” for both organizations, communities, and destinations themselves.

Sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism. More and more tourists are interested in sport activities during their trips, whether sports are the main objective of travel or not. Sport events of various kinds and sizes attract tourists as participants and as spectators. Tourism destinations add local flavor and flair to these sports events to distinguish themselves and provide authentic local experiences. Mega sport events such as Olympics and World Cups have served as significant catalysts for tourism development when successfully leveraged in terms of destination branding, infrastructure development, and other economic and social benefits.

“We are excited about the new industry partnership that we’ve established with Huddle Up Group. We know that the services that they provide can assist destinations in developing and expanding their sports tourism efforts. Also, their Sports Tourism Index will assist DMO leaders in making more informed decisions, when developing annual strategies for sports sales and marketing initiatives,”said Monica Smith, President and CEO of STS. “I look forward to working closely with Huddle Up Group to provide more resources and education on sports tourism in the Southeast region.”

STS, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Roswell, Ga., is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting tourism to and within 14 states – Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. For more information about STS, please visit southeasttourism.org.