Combating Seasonality in Regional Tourism: A Call to Action Through Sport Events and Practitioner Insights

Abstract

Seasonality, a defining characteristic of tourism, is recognized as a significant challenge for regional tourism, affecting local economies and limiting sustainable development. Among the various strategies that the literature suggests to alleviate its negative effects, the organization of events stands out. In particular, sport events have gained recognition as an essential element for all-year round tourism development. However, a deeper understanding of how tourism practitioners (those experiencing the personal and financial difficulties of seasonality) perceive the potential of sport events to smooth its challenges has not yet been explored enough. This study aims to fill this gap by examining tourism practitioners’ views on the role of sport events, particularly running ones, in mitigating tourism seasonality. To achieve this, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with tourism practitioners from selected regions of Greece who, as active stakeholders, shared their perspectives in the development of regional tourism through the year round. The data gathered from these interviews was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that most of the respondents recognize seasonality as a significant challenge and they share a common concern regarding its adverse effects on both regional tourism and on their local businesses. Themes of survival and sustainability emerged consistently, emphasizing the need to implement various initiatives, aside from sport events, to mitigate its effects. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion on seasonality, focusing on its economic and social implications, particularly from the perspective of tourism professionals. It also provides practical recommendations for destination managers on utilizing sport events as a tool for promoting tourism during off-season periods. Lastly, the findings highlight the need for localized and collaborative initiatives to address seasonality issues and support sustainable development.

1. Introduction

Tourism seasonality poses significant challenges for Mediterranean destinations, leading to over-tourism during peak periods and under-tourism in low-season periods (Ruggieri & Platania, 2024). It is a fundamental reality for most tourism businesses (Baum & Hagen, 1999; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2010) as it negatively impacts them, leading to underutilized resources, as well as to difficulties in staffing and in attracting investment (Getz & Nilsson, 2004). In fact, in periods of seasonal fluctuations both the public and the private sector face barriers to efficiently handle service capacities; during peak seasons, they struggle to address overcrowding and, during the off-season, they have to cope with underused resources (Cannas, 2012). However, despite its growing significance, seasonality remains one of the least understood aspects of tourism (Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005, 2010; Yabancı, 2023). The literature has extensively explored and suggested strategies to mitigate the challenges of tourism seasonality, but it also acknowledges that this issue is multifaceted and complicated (Dalir, 2024; Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Getz & Nilsson, 2004; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005; Ruggieri & Platania, 2024; Yabancı, 2023). Thus, a universally applicable single solution is elusive (Yabancı, 2023).

A key strategy emphasized by both the older and more recent literature involves the diversification of the tourism product; this includes a variety of initiatives such as festivals, conferences, or events in order to attract visitors during the off-season period (Cannas, 2012; Connell et al., 2015; Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; S. Gkarane & Vassiliadis, 2024; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005, 2010; Pegg et al., 2012; Ramos & Sol Murta, 2023; Yabancı, 2023). In this context, sport events have emerged as a rapidly growing sector within the global tourism industry, gaining significant popularity and being established as a prominent trend (UNWTO, 2025). Sport events also have a multifaceted role in the achievement of the SDGs, as they not only contribute to health and well-being of the participants but also drive economic growth and foster social inclusion (Campillo-Sánchez et al., 2025). Given their increasing significance, scholars have called for continuous research efforts that are related to the sustainability of sport events (especially small-scale ones) and their potential to address seasonal tourism challenges (Hinch et al., 2018). It is especially important to ensure the long-term viability of these events, as their success influences local businesses which are vital for the competitiveness of tourism destinations; when these businesses face challenges, the entire community is also affected (Banki et al., 2016; Getz & Nilsson, 2004). Thus, it is crucial to recognize the diverse attitudes of tourism practitioners towards seasonality as their perspectives influence the strategies implemented to address it (Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2010). In this framework, the role of stakeholder engagement (mainly involving local businesses, tourists, and policymakers) is emphasized in order to successfully develop and implement sustainable tourism strategies that also aim to address seasonality (Andolina et al., 2021). However, while existing studies highlight the role of sport events in tourism development, little is known about the perspectives of tourism professionals regarding the effectiveness of these events as a strategy to alleviate seasonality.

This study aims to address this gap by examining the impacts of seasonality on regional tourism through the perspectives of tourism practitioners, with a particular focus on sport events and their role in tackling these challenges. A deeper understanding of these difficulties will enable both researchers and industry stakeholders to develop more effective strategies in order to minimize the negative effects of seasonal tourism. This study focuses on selected Greek regions, each characterized by diverse tourism landscapes, making them suitable to analyze the relationship between seasonality and sport events. In this regard, running events have emerged as particularly relevant due to their increasing popularity during the last decades, primarily in Greece but also globally (Maditinos et al., 2020).

This paper is organized as follows: firstly, an overview of seasonality in tourism is provided, followed by an exploration of strategies identified in prior research to mitigate its impacts. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of sport tourism focusing on the perspectives of local tourism stakeholders. A qualitative methodology through semi-structured interviews is adopted to gain a deep understanding of the experiences and the challenges faced by local practitioners. The findings, derived through thematic analysis, not only highlight their perspectives but also incorporate their recommendations for enhancing the impact of sport events. Finally, the discussion section provides a broader interpretation of the results while implications and limitations are considered.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Tourism Seasonality and the Role of Events

Despite the increasing tourism demand globally, seasonality is a complicated phenomenon which remains a challenge for many destinations (Connell et al., 2015; Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Pham et al., 2018; Yabancı, 2023) like Europe (Ferrante et al., 2018). The Mediterranean region especially experiences significant seasonality, which impacts the performance of local tourism businesses (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Obadić & Pehar, 2016; Suštar & Ažić, 2020). In fact, the Mediterranean is characterized by a single peak seasonality pattern (Ferrante et al., 2018) and is noted for having the highest levels of seasonality globally, due to its geographical location and reliance on specific forms of tourism (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019). This type of seasonality impacts employment and GDP, leading to job fluctuations (Ruggieri & Platania, 2024). It also impacts both tourism demand and supply, making tourism-dependent economic activities vulnerable to fluctuations (Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020).

The literature identifies several widely recognized strategies which aim to reduce seasonality. For example, it mentions increasing off-season demand (Cannas, 2012; Ferrante et al., 2018; S. Gkarane & Vassiliadis, 2024; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005; Yabancı, 2023), reducing peak-season demand (Cannas, 2012; Ferrante et al., 2018; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005), redistributing demand throughout the year (Cannas, 2012; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005; Ferrante et al., 2018; S. Gkarane & Vassiliadis, 2024), extending the main season (Butler, 2001; Cannas, 2012; Connell et al., 2015; Getz & Nilsson, 2004), promoting domestic tourism during the off-season (Butler, 2001; Cannas, 2012; Yabancı, 2023), and staggering school and industrial holidays (Butler, 2001; Cannas, 2012; Goulding et al., 2005).

Beyond the above strategies, the literature frequently emphasizes diversifying tourist attractions and organizing off-season activities with a focus on sustainable tourism practices, to address seasonality (Butler, 2001; Cannas, 2012; Connell et al., 2015; Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Ferrante et al., 2018; Goulding et al., 2005; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2005; Ruggieri & Platania, 2024). In destinations like the Mediterranean, there is a need to diversify tourism offerings beyond the traditional “sea tourism” to attract visitors throughout the season (Obadić & Pehar, 2016), such as focusing on festivals and events (Pham et al., 2018). The organization of events has been proven effective in motivating visitors to travel during the low-season period, especially in comparison with the implementation of digital innovations, such as a trip-planner app (Dalir, 2024). The use of events as a strategy to combat tourism seasonality is particularly useful in overcoming challenges, even within the context of more remote destinations (Baum & Hagen, 1999). Events can extend the tourism season, redistribute demand to alternative locations and contribute to the creation of a favorable destination image (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Getz, 2010; S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; S. Gkarane & Vassiliadis, 2024; Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020; Yabancı, 2023). Targeted marketing initiatives that balance foreign and domestic tourists are necessary to stabilize revenue and reduce reliance on seasonal periods (Santos, 2024). Therefore, the diversification of tourism products through events would help destinations attract visitors during the off-peak season (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019). Moreover, events are highlighted as a key strategy for improving destination resilience (Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020) but their success in addressing seasonality issues is dependent on their alignment with the broader tourism infrastructure of the destination (Baum & Hagen, 1999).

In countries within the Mediterranean, climate change poses further challenges for seasonality; for example, in Greece, climate change impacts its tourism sector and several seasonal vulnerabilities emerge. More specifically, Greek summer tourism faces challenges from rising temperatures while its winter tourism may suffer from unreliable snow conditions (Lemesios et al., 2024). As a result, there is a growing need for sustainable tourism development to address the environmental impacts of seasonality in the Mediterranean and to maximize tourism benefits for the region (Andolina et al., 2021; Obadić & Pehar, 2016).

2.2. Sport Tourism Events

As previously outlined, events organization can serve as a valuable tool in reducing the negative impacts of seasonality. This is especially evident for sport events, particularly at regional levels, which can serve as strategic tools to attract visitors beyond the peak season (Higham & Hinch, 2002). Sport and tourism are both affected by seasonality, but the evolving nature of sports offers opportunities for tourism to benefit from the extended sport calendars (Higham & Hinch, 2002).

Mediterranean destinations such as Greece, which heavily depend on summer tourism, can integrate sports into tourism in their efforts to address seasonality issues, thereby attracting tourists all-year round and contributing to destination sustainability (S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; Reier Forradellas et al., 2021).

Sport tourism significantly influences host destinations mainly by boosting the local economy through visitor spending at various stages of sport events (S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; Daniels & Tichaawa, 2021); moreover, destinations can generate several other impacts, including tourism seasonality mitigation, jobs creation and income generation, business ventures, and destination development (Daniels & Tichaawa, 2021; Duglio & Beltramo, 2017; Getz, 2025; Smith, 2012). Accordingly, cities are using sport events to revitalize urban areas despite potential challenges and complexities (Smith, 2012). Sport tourism facilitates the intersection of sport and tourism sectors, thereby creating opportunities for several stakeholders and activities that merge sports and tourism (Getz, 2025; Mollah et al., 2021; Smith, 2012). Within sport tourism, income is generated from various segments like active sport tourists, spectators, and visitors (S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; Getz, 2025; Mollah et al., 2021).

Among events, small-scale ones are effective in extending the tourism season and attracting new visitors; examples of these include food festivals, cultural events, and sporting events (Baum & Hagen, 1999). In particular, small-scale sport events, like running ones, have demonstrated significant positive economic and social impacts, especially when compared with large scale events (Duglio & Beltramo, 2017; Fotiadis et al., 2021; Priporas et al., 2018). Consequently, they are proposed as a sustainable alternative and a viable strategy for communities with suitable resources (Fotiadis et al., 2021; Gibson et al., 2012; Priporas et al., 2018). Participants in such events recognize that, aside from the (immediate) economic benefits, small-scale sport events encourage future tourism and contribute to the sustainability and tourism growth of host destinations (Duglio & Beltramo, 2017). Small-scale sport events play this crucial role in promoting sustainable tourism development, mainly by extending the tourism season; given the significant role of tourism to the Greek economy, the growing popularity of running events appears as a valuable opportunity to enhance the tourism sector (Belias et al., 2018; Maditinos et al., 2020).

Considering the involvement of multiple stakeholders, collaboration is needed in sport event tourism to be successful (Daniels & Tichaawa, 2021). In the post-pandemic period, collaboration in sport event tourism has become critical for sector recovery (Smith, 2012). Sport event tourism is closely linked to the host destination; consequently, it heavily relies on local resources and necessitates harmonious integration with local residents’ lives (Hinch et al., 2018).

2.3. Local Tourism Practitioners’ Perspectives

Considering the significant impact of tourism on local communities, it is vital to understand locals’ perspectives and the factors influencing destination sustainability (Dwyer & Kim, 2003). This section delves into some of these perspectives.

Local tourism professionals are those who face the main challenges of seasonality due to unemployment and reduced income (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020). The adverse effects they encounter may include financial losses, difficulties maintaining a stable workforce, and concerns on the part of potential investors due to the uncertainty associated with the tourism industry (Pham et al., 2018). Family businesses are particularly vulnerable to tourism seasonality challenges, as they face, among others, financial instability, overworking, disrupted social lives, and reduced time with their children (Getz & Nilsson, 2004).

Given the impact of seasonality on communities, it is essential to consider locals’ perspectives to ensure destination resilience. Successful destinations prioritize locals’ quality of life while they tend to minimize potential negative impacts of tourism development (Dwyer & Kim, 2003). Tourism entrepreneurs consider not only economic but also non-economic factors, such as quality of life, when deciding to close their businesses during the off-season period (Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020). Thus, local professionals’ role is important in mitigating seasonality challenges; they can leverage their unique understanding of the local market and its characteristics to proactively develop strategies to attract visitors during the off-season period (Connell et al., 2015).

Studies examining seasonality across different geographical destinations often draw attention to the challenges faced by tourism practitioners. For instance, Koenig-Lewis and Bischoff (2010) investigate seasonality in Wales and its impact on tourism enterprises; they highlight the importance of considering the diverse perspectives of tourism businessmen to develop effective strategies to manage seasonality. Similarly, Pegg et al. (2012) analyze the effects of seasonality on alpine tourism and hospitality operations in New South Wales, Australia, through semi-structured interviews with hospitality managers. The study results demonstrate the need for collaborative efforts and proactive strategies to tackle seasonality challenges in the alpine tourism sector.

Small tourism businesses in rural areas also struggle with seasonality difficulties. Goulding et al. (2005) explore the complicated relationship between seasonality and business operators in rural Scotland and highlight how lifestyle motivations and several operational characteristics influence their decisions. Applying a qualitative approach, Banki et al. (2016) explore the effects of seasonality on family-owned micro-tourism businesses in the Obudu Mountain Resort in Nigeria and uncover the coping strategies they adopt; these businesses experience significant seasonality, which leads to income fluctuations and operational challenges, yet they remain open the year-round.

Pham et al. (2018) explore the effects of seasonality on small and medium tourism businesses in South Grippsland, Australia. Their study reveals the challenges rural tourism destinations face in their efforts to adopt collaborative approaches to mitigate seasonality. Often, tourism professionals have different perspectives regarding seasonality and the strategies needed to address it (Pham et al., 2018). Su et al. (2022) adopt a mixed-methods approach to examine how seasonality affects Chinese rural households; their study reveals that, during the peak-season, rural households invest more in tourism-related activities whereas, in the off-season periods, they combine tourism work with other activities to increase their income.

Importantly, public authorities should not only rely on professionals to address seasonality, despite the fact that this plays a role in mitigating its impact (Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020). The importance of collaboration between the public and the private sector is highlighted when developing and implementing strategies to tackle seasonality (Suštar & Ažić, 2020).

Regarding Mediterranean destinations, tourism seasonality significantly impacts residents’ well-being; despite the positive economic benefits of tourism, residents may face increased stress and disruptions to their daily routines (Bimonte et al., 2019). Therefore, evaluating tourism development success in these destinations necessitates considering residents’ perspectives, in addition to traditional economic indicators (Bimonte et al., 2019).

While an extensive range of the tourism literature has examined seasonality, much of this research has focused on the quantitative measurements of seasonal fluctuations, economic impacts, and broad policy recommendations (Fernández-Morales, 2021). However, there is a notable gap in studies exploring the local tourism practitioners’ perceptions of the role of events in mitigating the seasonal fluctuations, particularly within regional tourism. In particular, limited attention has been given to how local tourism professionals perceive and utilize events, specifically sport events, as a tool for mitigating seasonality. To address this gap, this study investigates seasonality in the context of sport tourism events. Its aim is to illuminate the challenges that tourism practitioners face because of seasonality and to understand their opinions and perceptions regarding these challenges, specifically focusing on their views on the use of sport events to combat seasonality.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Research Procedure

This research adopted a qualitative methodology where semi-structured interviews were employed as the primary data collection method. This approach was deemed the most suitable as it enabled the researchers to gain insights into the experiences and perceptions of the individuals involved (Hennink et al., 2020)—in our case, the tourism practitioners.

In this study, the questions aimed to explore tourism practitioners’ perspectives on key issues related to the challenges they face due to seasonality, the potential of sport events to attract visitors during the off-season period, as well as the impacts they experience when sport events are organized in their region during periods of low tourism demand.

In Figure 1, a brief of the research procedure is depicted.

3.2. Research Design

Given the exploratory nature of this study, a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was considered to be the most appropriate; interviews are widely recognized as a primary method for data collection in qualitative research, while semi-structured interviews are a commonly employed technique (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). Face-to-face interviews were chosen as especially suitable as, through their structured framework, they ensure consistency while still allowing flexibility between the interviewer and the participant (Zikmund et al., 2000).

The interview question development was guided by key concepts related to the impact of sport events on seasonality, as perceived by tourism practitioners. Their aim was to explore their perceptions regarding how sport events can be leveraged to mitigate the challenges of seasonality within the studied destinations. The semi-structured format allowed for probing follow-up questions to help researchers delve deeper into participants perspectives and uncover the complexities of their experiences with seasonality and sport events (Zikmund et al., 2000). The interview questions are as follows:

Q1. How do tourism practitioners perceive the challenges of seasonality in their region?

Q2. How do they perceive the role of sport events in attracting visitors during the off-season period?

Q3. Which are the impacts for tourism practitioners when small-scale sport events are organized in their region during periods of low-tourism demand?

3.3. Study Area and Participant Selection

A diverse range of tourism practitioners across six regional Greece destinations was chosen for this study. Urban areas within regional tourism landscapes like Eptapyrgion, Thessaloniki, and Katerini, coastal areas such as Paralia Katerinis, small towns in a regional setting like Tyrnavos Larissa, and rural areas like Skydra Pella and Krokos Kozanis were included. These destinations were chosen to present the varying impacts of sport events on seasonality, from a local business perspective. In these locations, sport (running) events are held during the off-season period to attract visitors and support the local economies.

The participants were selected through a purposive sampling strategy in order to ensure the representation of a diverse range of roles and perspectives within the tourism sector. Thus, a broad spectrum of the tourism industry was represented, from accommodation providers, food and beverage providers, car rental agencies, and travel and booking agents to retail shops, recreational service providers, and operators of private attractions and entertainment venues. The aim was to ensure that the study would capture the perspectives of key stakeholders across the different segments of the tourism industry within regional Greece. Collaboration with local stakeholders, such as tourism associations, facilitated the identification of suitable participants. A final sample of thirty tourism practitioners agreed to participate in the study. The quantity of thirty interviews conducted is consistent with the established parameters for grounded theory research, which generally advises a participant pool of between twenty and thirty individuals (Marshall et al., 2013). This specific range is substantiated by evidence derived from successful qualitative investigations, indicating that this particular number frequently achieves the highest level of data depth while simultaneously reducing the acquisition of repetitive data (Marshall et al., 2013). Additionally, the selection of our study participants, characterized by their substantial expertise and first-hand experience within the field, ensured a sample rich in pertinent data. Data saturation, evidenced by the negligible contribution of new insights from subsequent interviews, confirmed that the sample possessed adequate information power to fulfill the study’s objectives (Malterud et al., 2016; Subedi, 2021). Instead of solely relying on the quantity of participants, qualitative interview research can improve its sampling techniques by placing greater importance on the creation of original insights from the data analysis (Malterud et al., 2016).

The majority of the practitioners involved in the interviews were, in fact, residents of the destination, which ensured that the study captured the perspectives of those directly impacted by seasonality. In regions with seasonality issues, businesses often face both personal and financial impacts like intense workload and limited personal time during peak season, as well as financial strain during the off-season (Getz & Nilsson, 2004).

3.4. Data Collection and Analysis

To facilitate the interview process, the interviews were conducted at the workplaces of the thirty tourism professionals. Conducting research within the participants’ environment allows qualitative researchers to gain a deeper understanding of respondents’ experiences and perspectives (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). In addition, it is important to explore participants within their everyday environments to understand how their experiences and behaviors are influenced by various life contexts (Hennink et al., 2020). The interviews lasted approximately 45–60 min each, allowing for in-depth explorations of perspectives, facilitated by the use of follow-up questions to explore emerging themes.

A thematic analysis was used to interpret the data, employing a systematic coding approach to identify key themes related to seasonality and sport events. The data analysis followed a three-step coding process (Miles, 1994; Strauss & Corbin, 1994; Williams & Moser, 2019): Firstly, open coding was conducted to identify recurring themes and concepts. Then, axial coding was employed to explore the relationships between these codes and to understand the data more deeply. Finally, through selective coding, the findings were integrated into a set of themes aligned with the objectives of the data.

4. Findings

Three primary themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Acknowledgement of Tourism Seasonality, (2) Sports Events and Sustainability, and (3) Destination Development, which are further discussed in the following sections and presented in Figure 2:

Key theme 1—Widespread Acknowledgement of Tourism Seasonality

Tourism practitioners widely acknowledge that their regions experience intense seasonality, which significantly impacts their businesses. While peak season varies across different locations, respondents consistently highlight the cyclical nature of tourism demand. For example, some destinations attract visitors during specific periods, such as the saffron harvest in Krokos Kozanis or the carnival events in Tyrnavos Larissa, while other regions rely heavily on summer tourism, which is the case for Paralia Katerinis and Katerini Pieria.

On the other hand, the low-season period is characterized by a sharp decline in visitor numbers; as a result, businesses find it difficult to sustain their operations throughout the year. In many cases, professionals report that tourist activity is minimal during off-peak months, with some months being almost entirely unproductive.

“The tourist season is really limited, maximum 3 months. We survive during summer but in winter we suffer”,

Katerini Pieria

“Tourists (domestic and international, like Turks) come in our region mainly for the Carnival events. Some months, like November, are completely unproductive”,

Tyrnavos, Larissa

“The village survives only because of summer tourism. There is work only during summer thanks to tourists. Visitors keep coming during winter because of Olympus but there is nothing to do in our village and almost everything is closed”,

Paralia Katerinis

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Negative impacts

The economic and business impact of seasonality is particularly evident in the financial instability faced by tourism enterprises. Many professionals note that reduced demand during the low season results in lower revenue, making it difficult to cover operational expenses. As a result, many businesses often fight to remain financially viable. Some respondents stated that they are forced to seek alternative income sources; for example, they either take on additional jobs or rely on financial support from their family members. Those who manage to stay open during the off-season often significantly reduce their staff and limit their services. Several respondents highlight the necessity of making strategic financial decisions, such as setting aside funds during the high season to compensate for losses incurred in the low season. However, even with these precautions, demand unpredictability remains a challenge, with some businesses reporting extreme fluctuations in profitability between seasons. For example,

“During winter, most enterprises are closed or underperform and it is difficult to respond to our obligations”,

Paralia Katerinis

“Thanks to tourists that come during summer, our local economy stays stable for the rest of the year. Otherwise, the economy of Katerini would not be alive”,

Katerini Pieria

Beyond the economic and business negative implications, seasonality affects the socio-cultural and environmental dynamics of destinations. During peak season, professionals report a generally positive impact on their communities. The benefits they mention include increased social interactions, knowledge exchange, and diversity among visitors. Some of them even note personal opportunities that arise from tourism, such as relationships formed with international visitors who return annually. However, the low season brings a contrasting reality, where many businesses close entirely, and communities experience a sense of isolation due to lack of tourism activity. In terms of environmental impact, most respondents acknowledge that, while tourism increases traffic and pollution during peak months, these effects remain manageable and do not pose significant long-term concerns.

To cope with seasonality, tourism professionals mention that they employ a variety of strategies, from proactive measures to more passive adaptations. The proactive measures include discounts, special deals, or enhanced customer service during the low-season period to enhance repeat visitation. Additionally, some businesses leverage social media and marketing campaigns to maintain engagement with potential visitors. Many of them also emphasize the importance of organizing events and promotions to attract customers during the off-season. On the other hand, some have to undertake cost-cutting measures to minimize losses, including reducing heating costs, limiting the purchase of raw materials, and decreasing staff levels. In more extreme cases, some businesses simply close during the low season; in this case, they rely on savings or financial assistance until the next peak period. Others pursue alternative business ventures to generate income during the months when tourism activity is minimal.

“When the turnover increases, we increase the staff, we cover expenses and sometimes we invest in the improvement of our premises (changes on the decoration, painting, furniture). But throughout the low-season we give breaks to our staff, we reduce the purchases of goods, we have limited variety on our products”,

Eptapyrgion, Thessaloniki

“During low season, we purchase more raw materials of higher quality. In winter, only the family runs in the business, our staff does not work”,

Katerini Pieria

“In low season especially, we do everything we can to please the customers. We want them to come again so we are willing to offer our best services, even if it means that we will have to satisfy every requirement they may have”,

Paralia Katerinis

“We make cost reduction and try to save. We even save on the heating; we do not waste anything”,

Skydra Pella

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Lack of institutional support

A recurrent concern among tourism professionals is the perceived lack of institutional support from local authorities. Many express frustrations over the lack of targeted initiatives to mitigate the negative effects of seasonality.

“Seasonality is a problem in our region but the authorities do not support us at all”,

Eptapyrgion, Thessaloniki

“Municipality mainly looks after itself and not the surrounding villages”,

Krokos Kozanis

“Local authorities should implement more favorable payment arrangements of debts for periods when businesses have low performance”,

Paralia Katerinis

“They should provide tax breaks mainly in low-season and also help young entrepreneurs in their first steps”,

Skydra Pella

“We receive no support; definitely not at all mainly during low-season. Neither from the Chamber of Commerce nor from the state”,

Katerini Pieria

“They should help businesses get back on their feet with small tax breaks”,

Katerini Pieria

In their view, local authorities could play a more active role in promoting the region, for example, by improving infrastructure or by developing new attractions that would encourage visits through the year-round. Several professionals suggest the establishment of cultural institutions, such as museums, as well as the organization of additional events during the off-season to attract visitors beyond the traditional peak months. Despite these concerns, only a small number of professionals report that they indeed receive meaningful support from local authorities. The majority believe that structured interventions are needed to sustainably address seasonality.

“They should initiate new campaigns to promote the area and the local products”,

Skydra Pellas

“Local authorities should organize more events and also complete the museum”,

Krokos Kozanis

“We need more advertising, more support through events organized by local authorities”,

Katerini Pieria

“They should organize events, including traditional festivals, that attract both local residents and foreign tourists”,

Eptapyrgion Thessaloniki

Key theme 2—Sport Events and Sustainability

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Economic, social and environmental impact

In alignment with the existing literature, small-scale events, such as road races, generally make a positive contribution to the local economy since they generate tourism flow during periods of low visitor activity. Several professionals acknowledge that these events help attract visitors who would not otherwise visit their region during the off-season.

“There is tourist flow during a period where visitors would not come; it is indeed a different Sunday”,

Katerini Pieria

“Of course, the running race does good in my business, so many visitors come!”,

Krokos Kozanis

However, not all local businesses capitalize on these events since they believe that one day is not enough. So, they suggest that the organizers extend the event duration, as some visitors often leave the area immediately after the event conclusion.

Regarding the social impact of small-scale running events on their local communities, the findings suggest that most participants perceive it positively. These events encourage local participation, foster social interactions between residents and visitors and improve social life. For example, it was noted,

“Local community participated, exercised and developed relationships with visitors. Regardless of age, they got out of their house and participated”,

Krokos Kozanis

“During the running race, there is a pleasant atmosphere, locals take part with their children and they are all happier, in a good spirit”,

Skydra Pella

Consistent with prior studies, our findings suggest that these events have a minimal or negligible impact on the environment. In some cases, they can even contribute positively by fostering improvements, for example,

“Every new activity like this is positive; the environment is positively touched, for example, new trails are created”,

Krokos Kozanis

“Environment is not affected given that the event organizers take care of this issue”,

Katerini Pieria

Although some minor inconveniences, such as traffic congestion and litter, were mentioned, these were generally considered manageable.

“There is just some traffic and some rubbish but everything is cleaned up quickly”,

Eptapyrgion Thessaloniki

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Seasonality mitigation

Although some respondents remain skeptical, mainly because of the broader economic difficulties that they face, the majority of them recognize that small-scale sport events, like running events, play a role in addressing tourism seasonality. Events contribute to the extension of tourism season and promotion of the destination during low-season period. Some professionals place emphasis on the promotional benefits of the events, while others call for additional initiatives beyond a single event, as follows:

“Even one tourist in our hotel is better than none at all. As long as the event is promoted, our village is promoted”,

Paralia Katerinis

“Thanks to the event there are tourists during a period that no one visit our region”,

Katerini Pieria

“Yes, the event is a way to help strengthen the local economy in a period with no tourists”,

Skydra Pella

“One event is not enough, more events and other actions should be organized during the low season”,

Krokos Kozanis

“It is good that events like that are taking place but they must increase in number”,

Eptapyrgion Thessaloniki

Key theme 3—Destination Development

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Structured collaborations

Sport event organization presents a range of impacts for local tourism practitioners and influences several aspects of regional tourism development. The findings highlight both opportunities and challenges for the respondents.

Firstly, although sport events can contribute to tourism development, complimentary actions are needed to maximize their impact. Several professionals emphasize the importance of close collaboration with event organizers to ensure mutual benefits and successful event execution. This may include proactive communication, shared planning, and the provision of relevant services to event participants. Some express interest in working closely with event organizers to enhance the visitor experience; for example, they suggest offering customized services.

“We would like to cooperate with the organizers and work together on the preparation. For example, we could prepare a special menu for the event participants based on the directions of the organizers. This could be an extra motive for the athletes to come”,

Paralia Katerinis

“Along with the event, a general effort should be made in order to promote the brand name of Katerini. Exhibitions and other activities be organized in favor of small enterprises, so that the local products be promoted even during winter”,

Katerini Pieria

“It is a matter of mindset to respond proactively and make more efforts to highlight the region. Residents, enterprises and authorities could come together and find transparent solutions”,

Tyrnavos Larissa

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Wider tourism development strategies

Another recurring concern is the limited promotion of certain sport events; thus, they highlight the need for better communication and events advertising to increase awareness among local businesses and the general public. Although well-established sport events exist, many tourism practitioners remain under-informed, reducing their potential regional benefits.

“Suitable tourist attractions should be created and a better promotion abroad applied”,

Paralia Katerinis

“More advertising and promotion of Katerini in all the media, even in the low season, so that visitors realize that our town is also a winter destination”,

Katerini Pieria

Furthermore, beyond the event itself, broader strategic efforts are required to establish the destination development. They suggested that complementary activities, including exhibitions, cultural activities, and local product showcases could be organized alongside sport events as an opportunity to promote local businesses, products, and services.

“More athletic events could be created like mountain bike races. We could also attract tourists by establishing events based on our local products (wine, tsipouro)”,

Tyrnavos Larissa

“We do not fully utilize our spaces. For example, we could increase the number of pedestrianized areas and create adequate parking facilities to accommodate the visitors during the event”,

Skydra Pella

“The monument should be maintained and utilized. The roads are in a bad condition, the transportation is difficult and there is no route that would serve the area”,

Eptapyrgion, Thessaloniki

5. Discussion

5.1. Perceptions of Seasonality by Local Tourism Practitioners

Our findings reveal a deeply felt acknowledgement among respondents of the challenges posed by tourism seasonality. In fact, seasonality is a major concern impacting their business operations, their financial stability, and their overall well-being. Our findings strongly align with the existing literature on seasonality and its significant challenges for tourism businesses (Banki et al., 2016; Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; Koenig-Lewis & Bischoff, 2010; Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020; Pham et al., 2018; Su et al., 2022).

According to practitioners, and consistent with existing research, the negative impacts of tourism seasonality include economic stability and financial strain, specifically reduced revenue, increased costs in low-season, difficulties in meeting financial obligations (Duro & Turrion-Prats, 2019; Getz & Nilsson, 2004; Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020), decreased staff, reduced purchasing power, and limited investing opportunities during the period with low tourism demand (S. K. Gkarane et al., 2024; Pham et al., 2018).

As many of these businesses rely heavily on family assets, the potential for business failure due to seasonality poses a considerable risk of financial and personal loss (Getz & Nilsson, 2004; Banki et al., 2016). Therefore, they call for financial incentives such as tax breaks or debt relief to help them survive in the off-season. They emphasize that tax reductions during this period could ease their financial strain and help them remain operational throughout the year. Moreover, they expressed their perceived lack of support from local authorities and suggested that authorities should play a more active role in supporting them. According to respondents, this lack of support includes limited financial assistance, insufficient marketing efforts, as well as a lack of infrastructure development.

From their part, tourism practitioners identified several strategies to mitigate the effect of seasonality, the most commonly suggested including tax breaks and financial incentives to encourage sustained investment in year-round tourism offerings and attract stakeholders and event organizers willing to develop events beyond the peak months. Additionally, they underscored the need for enhanced promotion and marketing efforts to attract visitors all-year round. This includes developing specialized campaigns that highlight the unique seasonal experiences within their region. These campaigns need to be tailored to each region’s specific assets. For example, some regions might focus on promoting cultural infrastructure, such as a newly completed museum, as a winter attraction, while others could emphasize the historical charm of restored traditional mansions, highlighting their role in the local heritage and offering unique tours during the off-season. It also includes investing in tourism infrastructure such as transport connectivity, public spaces and cultural attractions to enhance the experience of the potential visitors. In addition, they call for the expansion of existing events and festivals, including cultural or sport-related events to increase visitor engagement.

It is important to note that, despite the common-sense nature of these strategies, their implementation remains inconsistent, and they are often overlooked in practice. Therefore, practitioners continue to push for these measures as a call for urgency, demanding immediate action. The existing literature often focuses on the potential benefits of these strategies, while neglecting the challenges faced by practitioners. Thus, our study provides a localized perspective related to specific barriers and opportunities associated with these strategies within their regional context. It serves as a call for action, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions.

5.2. Perceptions of the Role of Sport Events in Attracting Visitors During the Off-Season Period

The interviews revealed a positive perception of tourism professionals on the role of sport events in attracting visitors in the off-season period. The study also demonstrates that sport events are increasingly recognized as valuable tools for regional tourism development, primarily in addressing seasonality and enhancing local economies. Provincial areas, particularly those with weaker economies, gain substantial financial benefits from hosting sporting events, including smaller-scale ones; these events are crucial for building the image of the area and fostering sustainable tourism opportunities (Ossowska et al., 2024).

Several practitioners emphasized that sport events bring visitors to their region, acting as a mechanism to extend the tourism season and contributing to the overall sustainability of tourism in their community. Specifically, they perceive sport events as multi-faceted tools for development in regional tourism; these events were viewed as particularly valuable in mitigating the negative effects of seasonality in periods that would otherwise experience minimal tourist activity (illustrating the direct financial benefits for their businesses) (Duglio & Beltramo, 2017; Chersulich Tomino et al., 2020; Duglio & Beltramo, 2017; Gibson et al., 2012; Mollah et al., 2021). Also, sport events foster social engagement and create shared experiences among locals within their communities contributing to improved quality of their life (Chersulich Tomino et al., 2020; Gibson et al., 2012; Jiménez-García et al., 2020). From an environmental perspective, they expressed that sport events have minimal negative impacts that can be effectively addressed with proper planning (Chersulich Tomino et al., 2020; Gibson et al., 2012). According to the respondents, some events even spur environmental improvements through upgrades in existing infrastructure.

Despite the perceived benefits, there is a consensus among them that a single sport event is not sufficient to create lasting tourism impacts. Thus, they highlight the need for a long-term approach that will incorporate multiple events which can be spread across the off-season period to help maximize their impact. Moreover, several respondents suggested extending the duration of existing events to maximize the visitor spending in their region.

However, practitioners also acknowledged the challenges of implementing these initiatives effectively. While they recognized the sustainable impact of sport events, they raised concerns regarding event planning, coordination, and funding mechanisms. The need for proactive measures, better planning, and stronger stakeholder collaboration was frequently emphasized. Many among them highlighted that securing financial support from local authorities and private sponsors is crucial for sustaining and expanding these events. They also pointed out that public–private partnerships could help finance infrastructure improvements and event operations.

To address these challenges, practitioners proposed a multi-stakeholder approach (involving local authorities, event organizers, and community members) to ensure that sport events can contribute effectively to seasonality mitigation. Lastly, it is important to note that, in order to maximize the benefits of sport events, destinations should adopt a strategic portfolio approach, ensuring that each event organized in the region complements and reinforces the others; thereby, a cohesive year-round offering should be created (Ziakas, 2023).

5.3. Perceptions of Tourism Practitioners on the Impacts of Small-Scale Sport Events Held in Low-Season Period

Tourism practitioners acknowledge that sport events have significant implications for destination growth, mainly in the low season, directly benefiting their businesses. They perceive sport events as catalysts for broader destination development, not merely as isolated occurrences. However, while recognizing the benefits of sport events, they emphasize the importance of strategic actions to enhance these positive impacts. Structured collaborations among the stakeholders involved in sport event planning and execution are a key strategy they advocate for; this includes event organizers, local authorities, businesses, and the community. From their part, some express a strong desire to engage in partnerships that will enhance visitors’ experiences, such as designing tailored offerings for event participants. They also stress the need for broader initiatives, such as exhibitions or promotional activities within the event, to showcase the local products of the region. In addition, a broader call for a shift in the mindset among stakeholders is revealed. Collaborative approaches among stakeholders (organizers, businesses, residents, local authorities), transparent cooperation, as well as collective planning to maximize the benefits of sport events, are recommended. Collaboration between the public and the private sector, including incentives to help businesses remain open during the off-season, is necessary (Martin Martin & Guaita Martinez, 2020). However, and despite its cruciality, several factors hinder effective collaboration involving competition, conflicting interests and short-term planning (Pham et al., 2018).

Beyond sport events, respondents call for broader initiatives; they point out the need to develop complementary attractions and to improve destination marketing to ensure that their regions will remain appealing not just before and after the event but throughout the year. Suitable tourist attractions and on-going promotional efforts through various media platforms will position their region as a year-round destination. Others suggest the diversification of the event types hosted (such as mountain bike races to compliment traditional road races) or integrating exhibitions and product demonstrations within the event space to highlight local gastronomy and cultural heritage (such as featuring local delicacies like tsipouro to promote the area’s food culture and generate additional economic benefits for local producers).

To fully capitalize on the opportunities that sport events bring, they once again mention the infrastructure improvements as a necessary step to better leverage the potential of sport events. For example, in some cases they highlight the underutilization of public spaces or the need for better-maintained monuments. Road improvements and better transportation access are also pointed out. Improved communication through effective information sharing and addressing concerns is another strategy. They also suggest complementary activities such as cultural events, festivals, and local product demonstrations to enhance the visitors’ experiences and create unique experiences for them. Finally, targeted marketing efforts promoting both the sport event and the tourism offerings of their community will build brand awareness and attract year-round visitors. They believe that these improvements will not only optimize the (positive) impact of the sport events but also contribute to the long-term destination sustainability and competitiveness.

6. Implications

This study contributes to the existing literature in tourism seasonality by examining its impacts on businesses within the sport tourism context from the perspective of local tourism practitioners. It confirms the findings of previous studies regarding the general difficulties and negative impacts of seasonality, while also highlighting the unique challenges that local tourism practitioners face in regional destinations. While the general principles of seasonality are well-documented in the literature, this study provides valuable insights into their application within the specific context of regional Greece.

The focus on practitioners’ viewpoints provides valuable information into their experiences, concerns, and proposed strategies to leverage sport events for extending the tourism season. Tourism practitioners reflect real-world needs as articulated by those working within the tourism industry. Thus, their perspectives are crucial in understanding the practical barriers they face and the types of support they consider necessary to address seasonality effectively, especially when leveraging sport events as a mitigation strategy. Our findings raise important considerations concerning the means of applicability of existing seasonality mitigations strategies. Although the mitigating role of events is established, our focus provides a deeper understanding of how these events can be strategically employed within the tourism sector. Practitioners’ recommendations, which emphasize the need for better promotion, improved infrastructure, more frequent and extended events, along with sustainable practices and enhanced collaboration between stakeholders, can directly inform the development of tourism development strategies at regional destinations; thus, this study bridges the gap between theoretical discussions on seasonality and the practical application of sport events as a means to address it. Their recommendations can also serve as a foundation for future research in different contexts, like other types of events or other regions.

From a practical viewpoint, this study emphasizes the importance of involving local stakeholders in the planning and implementation of several tourism development activities. By focusing on the lived experiences and perceptions of tourism professionals, the contribution of this study is the understanding of how professionals actually deal with seasonality using sport events. Also, the study encourages the exploration of diversified tourism products, such as those offered by small-scale sport events. In addition, policymakers (like DMOs) can utilize the findings to develop targeted programs to extend the tourism season. Event organizers can tailor their event offerings to better align with the needs and interests of local communities. Finally, and since enhanced collaboration is highlighted by respondents, key stakeholders can benefit from these findings to ensure the successful implementation of events and sustainability and season extension for the destination.

7. Conclusions and Future Research Directions

In summary, seasonality is an important characteristic of tourism which poses significant challenges, as extensively highlighted in the tourism literature. These challenges are even more substantial for local businesses in regional areas, since they are more vulnerable to fluctuations in tourism demand. Various strategies have been proposed in the literature to mitigate its effects, with events being one of the most common approaches.

This study conducted interviews with 30 representatives of tourism businesses from regional Greece to investigate the impacts of seasonality on their businesses and to explore their views on the role of sport events to mitigate these challenges. The significant impact of seasonal fluctuations in tourism demand was generally acknowledged and many respondents expressed considerable difficulties to manage these difficulties. Our findings suggest that, in the context of mitigating seasonality, local practitioners identify the need for improved marketing and promotion, enhanced infrastructure, development of new attractions and the organization of more diverse and extended events. They also emphasize the importance of sustainable practices and improved collaboration among stakeholders to support these efforts. To ensure that sport events effectively contribute to seasonality mitigation in regional destinations, practitioners proposed a multi-stakeholder approach. This ongoing initiative, which we are actively developing, will bring together local authorities, event organizers, and the community to foster collaboration and implement sustainable solutions.

Despite the valuable findings presented in this study, a few limitations need to be mentioned. Although the qualitative nature of this study provides rich insights, its findings may not be generalizable to all settings. Also, the research focuses on a specific set of Greek destinations, which may not fully capture the experiences of other regions that face similar seasonality challenges. Lastly, a more comprehensive understanding of sport event impacts on seasonality would benefit from incorporating views from other stakeholders, such as local authorities, tourists, or athletes.

Future studies could expand the geographical scope to include more destinations or regions with different types of sport events to further explore their impact on seasonality. Also, future research could complement these findings with quantitative approaches such as visitor surveys or assessments on the economic impacts of the local businesses. Finally, a fruitful expansion of this study lies in the examination of the perspectives of more stakeholders, like policymakers, event organizers, and visitors to provide a multi-faceted analysis.

This study stands as a call for action, demanding that (consistent with the literature) findings should be translated into tangible and practical solutions to address the specific challenges of seasonality in regional destinations while maximizing the benefits of sport tourism.