E-Sport Events within Tourism Paradigm: A Conceptual Discussion

Abstract

E-sports (electronic sports) refers to organized video gaming events or tournaments that culminate in championships at either the regional or international level. The e-sports market is experiencing rapid growth. By 2020, the market is expected to generate over US$1.48 billion in revenue. The number of viewers who regularly follow the industry and tune in to watch international competitions is projected to reach 589 million by 2020. There are many reasons why e-sports events are attractive and remarkable experiences: fans get the chance to (a) watch the best players in the world compete; (b) meet their favorite players; and (c) share their passion with hundreds of like-minded fans. This hip version of event tourism, e-sports tourism, has been flying under the radar for a long time but has finally, in recent years, entered the mainstream. This study discussed the relationship between e-sports and tourism by examining e-sports events within the tourism paradigm. Consequently, e-sports events, as a growing market, constitutes an important attraction for the tourism sector.

Keywords

• E-sports,events,e-sports event tourism,tourism paradigm

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