SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE “ELITE” LEISURE SPORTS AND SPORT TOURISM IN HUNGARY

Abstract

The goal of the study is to observe the consumption of four elite-called leisure time sport activities (sailing, golf, skiing and tennis) in Hungary, during travels and staying at home, within the recreational zone. Authors compared these leisure activities following the four sport tourism dimensions: geographic environment, participation of the consumers, type of sport activity and motivations of tourists, and many more minor variables related to these dimensions. Based on these variables some of the sport activities found typical as generating foreign travels among Hungarians, such as ski and partly golf, but others, like sailing, and golf meant mostly domestic travels towards the lakes of the country. Meanwhile, tennis was taken rather recreational leisure activity among these sports. Authors also made comparison between the cost of these amateur level done sport activities and their popularity, so they observed the number of their followers as well as on the length of their season, just to name a few. They also weighted the socio-economic sensitiveness, and ranked them by their cost of the initial investment of the equipment, and annual costs of activities and finally their total costs.
The paper finally states that these leisure sport activities should be taken as luxury ones for average Hungarian households, no matter, if quite a few costumers travel with any of these activities as a purpose, such as active or passive sport tourists.