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The current study has alluded to the difficulties encountered in defining the concept of „sport tourism‟, with several sport tourism models having been used to provide a well-rounded explanation of the phenomenon. Determining such a phenomenon, as understood by the sample population involved in the study, was therefore regarded as important.

4.3.1 Sport tourism

Respondents were asked to provide their understanding of the concept „sport tourism‟. As the question was open-ended, the responses were arranged in four main conceptual categories, with three of the categories being based on those provided by Gibson (1998:156), as was previously mentioned in Chapter Two of the current study. According to Gibson (1998:156), there are three broad categories of sport tourist: the active participant; the passive participant (a watcher of sport events); and the nostalgia sport tourist (a visitor to sport-related attractions). Table 4.8 below explores the responses received from the respondents. Interestingly, the results are characterised by a split between those respondents who consider sport tourism as being passive involvement in sport (52.7%), and those who regard it as being active involvement (51.7%). The finding reflects a significantly high level of understanding of the concept „sport tourism‟ among the respondents. The remaining 5.4% of the respondents gave responses that were in no way related to the above three categories or that were not considered to relate to sport tourism, or left the question blank, and were hence classified as having no understanding of the concept in general. A few (9.2%) indicated responses which were closely related to nostalgia sport tourism, which is centred on travelling to sport halls of fame and stadia, and on taking related cruises.

Table 4.8: Understanding of sport tourism (n=406, in %). Multiple responses

Forms Total

Passive 52.7

Active 51.7

Don‟t know 13.4

Nostalgia 9.2

4.3.2 Mega-events

Recently, mega-events have gained prominence on the global stage, with many developing countries increasingly using them as a tool for fostering their economic growth (Alegi, 2001). Cornelissen (2006) has identified South Africa in particular as an avid campaigner in this domain. As was the case with sport tourism above, the respondents were asked to provide their understanding of a „mega-event‟. The results are represented in Table 4.9 below. Most of the respondents (70.1%) understood a mega-event to be a very „big‟ event, closely followed by those who saw it as a very popular event (64.2%). Some (18.2%) indicated that they did not know what a mega-event was. While 16.3% described it as an international event, or as one that accrued benefits to the host (12.3%), the remaining respondents were those who saw a mega-event as an event that attracted much media coverage (7.1%). The significance of the finding is that the responses received could easily have been made in reference to mega-events, as defined by several authors (see Chapter Two).

Most prominent of such authors is Roche (2000:1), who refers to mega-events as

“large cultural (including commercial and sporting) events, which have a dramatic character, mass popular appeal and international significance”.

Table 4.9: Understanding of ‘mega-event’ (n=406, in %). Multiple responses

Response Total

A very big event 70.1

A very popular event 64.2

Don‟t know 18.2

An international event 16.3

An event that benefits the host 12.3 An event that attracts much media

coverage

7.1

4.3.3 Knowledge of previous sport tourism events held in South Africa

In order to ascertain whether resident African immigrants in Cape Town had any knowledge of sport tourism-related events hosted by South Africa in the past, the respondents were asked whether they were aware of any sport events that South Africa had previously hosted. According to the results seen in Figure 4.5 below, the majority of respondents (71%) answered the question in the affirmative, compared with the 23% who responded in the negative. Only 6% stated that they were not sure of whether or not this had been the case.

.

Figure 4.5: Knowledge of previous sport tourism events held in South Africa (n=406 in %)

Knowledge of previous sport tourism events hosted in South Africa (n=406, in %)

71%

23%

6%

Yes No Not sure

4.3.4 Major events hosted by South Africa in the past

In order to further ascertain resident African immigrants‟ knowledge of previous sport events hosted in South Africa, respondents were required to choose from a table of given options that permitted multiple responses. Table 4.10 below, which represents the results, reveals that over half of the respondents (57%) indicated that South Africa had previously hosted soccer tournaments. In this light, the 1995 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup came to the fore. Another 30.3% of the respondents indicated the 1995 Rugby World Cup, 17.7% indicated the 2003 Cricket World Cup, and 3.9% indicated swimming events. Only 3.2% indicated golf tournaments, and 2.8% referred to other sport events, such as the Two Oceans and the Comrades marathons that are held annually in South Africa.

Table 4.10: Major sport tourism events previously held in South Africa (n=406 in %). Multiple responses

Major sport event Total

Soccer tournament, e.g. CAF / Confederation Cup

57.0

1995 Rugby World Cup 30.3

2003 Cricket World Cup 17.7

Swimming events 3.9

Golf tournaments 3.2

Other 2.8

4.3.5 How respondents were informed of previous sport tourism events hosted by South Africa

Media coverage influences people‟s interaction with sporting activities. The level of awareness, in the form of advertisements or public relations, is relevant to the level of attachment of a community to tourism events (Arrey, 2008). Hence, the respondents were asked to state how they were informed of major sport tourism events that had previously been hosted in South Africa. The results, which are reflected in Table 4.8 below, indicate that 56.9% of the respondents were informed of previous events, as discussed above, over the television, while newspapers were the information source for 24.1%. Such a percentage was closely followed by the 21.4% of those who had heard of the event over the radio. The percentages obtained confirmed the position of television as the most influential medium, followed by the newspaper and radio

media, which was in line with the conclusions drawn by Arrey (2008). In addition to television, newspapers and radio, 16% of the respondents stated that they had been informed by friends and family, while 14% said that they had found information on the Internet. A few were informed by posters (4.9%), Short Message Service (SMS) (2.7%), community meetings and other forms of media (0.7%) respectively, and email (0.5%).

Table 4.11: How respondents were informed of previous sport tourism events (n=406, in %). Multiple responses

Medium Total

Television 56.9

Newspapers 24.1

Radio 21.4

Friends and family 16.0

Internet 14.0

Posters 4.9

SMS 2.7

Community meetings 0.7

Others 0.7

Email 0.5