The impact of sport on the development of tourism potential, on the examples of Ukraine and Poland

Abstract

This section analyzes the impact of sport on tourism potential, focusing on the comparative experiences of Ukraine and Poland following their co-hosting of Euro 2012, highlighting how sports mega-events and infrastructure drive economic, social, and image-related benefits while distinguishing between hard and soft sports tourism segments. It contrasts Poland's successful systematic integration of sports facilities into a multifunctional tourism strategy – with high stadium occupancy, expanded infrastructure, and targeted state policies – against Ukraine's limited utilization due to institutional challenges, corruption, and the ongoing war, resulting in significant disparities in sports tourism revenue and visitor numbers. The analysis includes a SWOT framework and proposes recommendations for Ukraine, drawing on Polish practices such as establishing a dedicated agency, tax incentives, and developing priority sports tourism products to enhance post-war recovery and long-term competitiveness. Overall, effective leveraging of sports infrastructure emerges as a key factor in transforming mega-event legacies into sustainable tourism growth.