The City of Roses is set to host the country’s only nonprofit trade association for the sports and events tourism industry
The vibrant city of Portland has established a reputation as one of the most sports-crazed destinations in the country.
In addition to earning the monicker “Soccer City, U.S.A.” because of its vibrant fandom regarding Major League Soccer’s Timbers and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Thorns, Portland boasts a diverse range of sports teams and facilities, headed up by the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
Next year, the City of Roses will add another feather to its sporting cap when it hosts the Sports ETA Symposium, the annual meeting of the Sports Events & Tourism Association, a nonprofit trade association for the sports events and tourism industry.
Sports Tourism & Travel Association Symposium
“The Sports ETA Symposium will bring our entire sports tourism industry to Portland, and to a larger sense, Oregon in general,” said Matt Reed, director of Sports Tourism for Sport Oregon. “It’s a massive opportunity for us because we know there’s a large percentage of folks who have never been to our area of the country. We have to take advantage of that.”
The symposium will take place April 22-25, 2024. Throughout the week, sports destinationswill meet with hundreds of decision-makers responsible for organizing sports events. The event helps attendees grow professionally, exchange ideas and drive more business at one of the largest gatherings of top executives in the sports events and tourism industry.
The event is expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees including more than 100 sports event planners. The 2023 symposium featured more than 13,000 scheduled appointments and the 2024 event figures to be even larger. Travel Portland and Sport Oregon are the host partners.
Important dates to remember regarding the symposium are:
- Registration is open but appointments cannot be guaranteed if not registered by March 31, 2024
- One-on-one appointment portal opens February 26, 2024
- One-on-one appointment portal closes April 1, 2024
- Schedules distributed April 15, 2024
Attending the Sports ETA Symposium
“Hosting this event is truly a collaborative effort in our community,” Reed said. “We at Sport Oregon will be partnership with our friends at Travel Portland to host, but the team doesn’t stop there. We have an unbelievable team at the Oregon Convention Center, which will be hosting the majority of everyday conference activities.
“The Hyatt Regency Portland is right next door to OCC and will serve as our HQ hotel, so they’re very involved in the planning as well. And then our overall sports and hospitality community will play a major role too. We are a sports and recreation town, and we’ll show that off.” Nestled along the picturesque Willamette River, Portland stands as Oregon’s largest city, housing nearly half of the state’s population. With its vibrant yet relaxed ambiance, flourishing cultural offerings and abundance of enchanting gardens, it comes as no surprise that Portland attracts an ever-growing number of visitors seeking to experience its charm and attractions.
“Come early. Stay late. Portland itself provides endless fun, culture, world-class dining, breweries, distilleries, and parks, but we’re also 30 minutes from one of the best wine regions in the world,” Reed said. “We’re just over an hour from the Oregon Coast. Another hour over to Mt. Hood. The adventures are endless in our region, and we can’t wait to show that off to our industry colleagues and clients next April.”
As the only nonprofit 501(c)3 trade association for the sports and events tourism industry in the United States, Sports ETA is an essential resource for sports commissions, sports destinations, sports event owners and industry partners. As the sports events and tourism industry’s association, Sports ETA emphasizes business development and networking opportunities year-round that help make our members more effective in the business of bidding on, booking, and managing sporting events. Sports ETA produces a variety of in-person and virtual events for serious-minded sports events and tourism executives.
To register for the event, visit sportseta.org/events/symposium and for more information on the sports travel industry be sure to Subscribe to Sports Planning Guide for FREE
