The hot-button topic at the recent NYU International Hospitality Investment Conference wasn't bedbugs. It wasn't the economy. It wasn't even online travel sites. It was Airbnb. And now, the online platform that harnesses the sharing economy is taking aim at the travel market, with clients like the World Cup (yes, you really read that) and a half marathon under its belt.

Lubbock earned the nickname, "The Hub City," for the five major highways that pass through town, forming a hub. That feature, along with Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB), puts Lubbock within easy reach of thousands of sports traveling families, and helps the city welcome team after team, athlete after athlete. And while stress-free transportation and outstanding service are Lubbock standards, this West Texas town knows that it takes more than that to knock one out of the park. As longtime home to a variety of sports events, Lubbock's team knows detail and steadfast dedication to visiting teams will keep planners coming back to the area.

The Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail (FOMTT) is a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry. But here's a surprise: what began in 1998 as a small four-division tournament trail with a total of 21 events through the first season has now grown into one of the largest fishing tournament organizations in the country.

"Failure I can live with. Not trying is what I can't handle."

~Sanya Richards-Ross, Olympic Track & Field athlete