The Economic Impact of a Marathon as a Sports Tourism Event

Marathons are sport tourism events taking place in many cities around the globe. Economic impact studies have shown that there exist positive economic effects for the host city but the economics literature has questioned the applied methodology. Cost-benefit analyses and general equilibrium approaches have shown that the economic effects may not be positive. This study reviews this literature using an eclectic approach. It emphasizes the long term impacts of promoting exports and attracting foreign direct investment. The Athens marathon is used as a case study.