IUPUI offers Hoosiers a chance to compete in the highly competitive field of sports tourism.

Press Release

The Department of Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management (TCEM) at IUPUI is offering a new certificate designed to produce qualified employees needed by Indianapolis and the surrounding region to compete in the highly competitive field of sports tourism.

The Sports Tourism Development Certificate marks the third certificate developed by the department to meet economic development needs of the Indianapolis area, said Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis, professor and chair of the department.

In 2000, the city of Indianapolis identified three segments of the tourism industry that had the potential to stimulate economic development. In addition to sports tourism, the other two segments were convention tourism and cultural tourism, Hji-Avgoustis said. TCEM has already developed certificates for those segments.

Students will be required to complete 10 courses to receive the Sports Tourism Certificate. The courses include Microeconomics, Planning and operations of sports facilities, Tourism and hospitality marketing, Management of sports events, Sports marketing, Promotional communications, and Tourism economics.

“The goal of the certificate will be to assist the city retain its competitive edge in the field because so much of Central Indiana's economic future depends on expanding the market the city has already built,” Hji-Avgoustis said.

According to Hji-Avgoustis, the Sports Tourism Certificate will equip students to understand broad sports tourism concepts; demonstrate an understanding of the contemporary forces that shape sports tourism business and economic structures; demonstrate an understanding of the major functions of sports tourism business including management and marketing; explain why sports tourism business ethics is an integral part of every business organization; be knowledgeable about the tourism industry; understand marketing and sales, operations, and human resources functions and principles in the sports tourism segment of the tourism industry; practice effective verbal communications in various settings; and be able to identify effective communications, problem-solving, and human relations skills.

Source: IUPUI