Report Super League Triathlon

Report Super League Triathlon

Introduction Super League Triathlon (SLT) is a spectator-friendly race series which gives triathlon fans an action-packed and very up-close experience. Fans can follow the best triathletes in the world from start to finish, as the series travels to some of the world s most spectacular racing destinations throughout the eight-month race season. SLT burst on to the world s stage debuting in Hamilton Island, Australia in 2016 with a potential global TV reach of over 300 million. Super League races are focused on attracting a new generation of audiences with the aim of fostering and inspiring future champions and promoting a healthy lifestyle for the wider community. From the moment that Jersey won the right to host in 2017, our intention was not just to promote the SLT week in Jersey, but encourage the world fall in love with Jersey by making the full use of the opportunities to promote the island break.

This report explores: 1 The sports tourism opportunity 2 The value of SLT to #theislandbreak 3 Welcoming SLT Jersey 2018 4 Drawing on experience

1 The sports tourism opportunity

The sports tourism opportunity Sport, whether spectating or participating, can provide a compelling reason to visit a destination. Whether it is a rugby supporter travelling to an away-game, an avid golfer trying their luck on a challenging course for the first time or a cycling enthusiast enjoying some leisurely rides while on holiday. Jersey can be a paradise for those who enjoy outdoor living, with the ability to engage in sporting activity on land, on, or in, the water, and at the seashore. Only a minority, around 4%, of visitors to Jersey either watch or play sport while they are here, but there is ample opportunity to grow this market. Drawing sporting visitors to the island, through events such as the SLT, can prove highly productive as it tends to be characterised by a higher spend per night than for other visitors. VisitBritain figures show that inbound sporting visitors to Britain typically spend 785 per visit compared with 583 for other holiday visitors.

While Visit Jersey research shows that watching and playing sport is not a major motivation for most when choosing where to go on holiday, even the casual participation in sporting activity while away on a short-break or holiday can enhance a visitor s overall enjoyment. Visit Jersey has identified that key motivators include spending quality time with friends and family and having fun and laughter - attributes which can both be amply delivered while enjoying sport. Sports tourism, including sports training, offers a great opportunity to help address Jersey s seasonality challenge. At present three-quarters of all holiday visits to Jersey take place between April and September, but with temperatures rarely falling below zero in a typical winter, Jersey offers a venue where extreme cold is much less likely to hinder sporting activity than is the case in mainland Great Britain.

2The value of SLT to #theislandbreak

The value of SLT to #theislandbreak SLT provides a catalyst for the island s tourism development. The event provides Jersey with: The opportunity to showcase the island s event capabilities and credentials. A pitch to showcase the island break welcome, promoting wider messages and interest in Jersey. A platform from which Jersey can inspire other sporting events rights owners to consider the island for their next event.

Research indicated that 2,000 visitors spectated at the SLT. Research found that 28% of visitor spectators said they came specifically for the event and a further 6% that it was an important factor in their decision to visit. 630 visits were attributable to the SLT and that a further 1,400 who were visiting Jersey chose to watch the event. The estimated additional visitor expenditure directly attributable to SLT is at least 385,000. These numbers exclude athletes, officials and visiting media. The propensity for visitors who came to the island to experience SLT to recommend Jersey as a visitor destination was high.

Jersey as a short-break or holiday destination Coming to Jersey to watch sport 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Extremely unlikely 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Extremely likely

Welcoming SLT 3Jersey 2018

Welcoming SLT Jersey 2018 We are excited to welcome the return of SLT to the island break in 2018, following the signing of a five-year agreement with the States of Jersey to secure the rights to host the event. SLT presents opportunities to promote Jersey before, during and after reaching new visitors in target markets and reignite the island s appeal. The event complements the core portfolio of Jersey s sporting events including the International Breca Swimrun, Balls of Steel, Jersey Triathlon, Round the Rock, Jersey Marathon, Sandstorm Jersey and Jersey Rugby Football Club that competes in the RFU Championship.

We are confident more people will be coming to SLT Jersey 2018 staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and experiencing #theislandbreak. Our plans are even more ambitious and promise to deliver a weekend of world class sport. Jersey is proud to partner with SLT and we look forward to sharing our island with the rest of the world. Whether part of the media team, a participating athlete or a visiting fan, we look forward to welcoming many new friends to our island, and relish the opportunity to build a SLT legacy. This partnership places Jersey on the map as a host for international sports events.

Drawing on 4experience

Experience to date Supported by Government, led by Senator Lyndon Farnham, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Jersey; and driven by Events Jersey, there was a narrow window of opportunity to secure and deliver SLT 2017. Negotiations started in earnest in April 2017, with the event scheduled to take place with just five months lead-in time, on 23-24 September 2017. Events Jersey worked with, and immersed themselves, into the Organising Team to help secure match-funding, on-island partnerships and sponsorship opportunities. After our experience of year-one, and taking account of research and post-event consultations, there are good prospects to grow the event to deliver economic benefit, enhance the image of Jersey and demonstrate the island s warm welcome.

Consumer Marketing SLT provides a catalyst for tourism on two levels building the aspiration to travel to Jersey, and increasing the number of people visiting the island.

Digital The event provided opportunities for marketing through Visit Jersey s consumer marketing channels including a dedicated feature and event listing on jersey.com, e-news to 200,000+ recipients, social media and PR. Reaching out through Visit Jersey s social channels (62,000 Facebook, 15,400 Twitter, 8,000 Instagram), Visit Jersey extensively promoted the event in the lead up to and during the event. As part of content outreach, athletes experienced Jersey from sunrise to sunset. Visit Jersey showcased all the island has to offer from East to West, incorporating signature experiences. The athletes were encouraged to share their experiences using #theislandbreak. The athlete immersion days enabled Visit Jersey to present live athletes Instagram stories of their Jersey experiences. Independently the athletes shared their visits via Instagram, blogs and tweets. Jersey s unique and beautiful location, alongside an enthusiastic welcome and digital infrastructure, provided the opportunity to generate extensive coverage.

Digital Super League created dedicated content showcasing the island break, including St Catherine s Bay, St Ouen s Bay, and The Ecrehous. This content will be re-purposed and shared in 2018, to showcase the athletes insider tips on what not to miss. Visit Jersey will seek to shape and influence the content and messaging, and hopes to welcome bloggers to guest blog on the event. Extensive imagery and content was curated from the 2017 SLT. This will be used for marketing the SLT to target audiences (consumer, trade and MICE). We will continue to build functionality and re-purpose content, to generate even more interest in SLT.

Media & PR Over 40 international press visited Jersey as well as specialist sporting media in 2017. The SLT was broadcast to 147 countries, posted approximately 250 videos on social media and over 400 posts of written content, growing engagement by 40% overall. An average of over 625,000 viewers per minute caught the 10-hour live race coverage on their screens. The media output has created momentum for the sport and SLT have a following that is loyal, fierce and dedicated.

In 2017, Visit Jersey issued French and English press releases. There is greater opportunity for Visit Jersey/ Events Jersey to leverage this opportunity. In 2018, it is proposed we invest and focus on the pre-slt media engagement in three areas: Building relationships with the rights holders media who have paid for the rights to showcase the sporting events. Focus on UK and France media. Focus on a strong visiting media programme for rights holders and produce a media guide for filming. Content distribute 20 core b-roll videos illustrating Jersey experiences at no cost to Visit Jersey. Opportunity to introduce local SLT ambassadors who participated in the race in 2017.

Looking forward Develop closer relationships with the international media to provide a welcome for them to the island break Create a dedicated media pack Share the experiences/itineraries offered to the SLT athletes to the media and invite them to join Exclusive offers to UK and France media Discounted and complimentary access to Jersey Attractions Group attractions A range of product experiences i.e. tours, places to stay, attractions, eat and drink establishments Offers subject to availability with a validity i.e. 3 months Invite trade to share offers providing great exposure and free marketing opportunity Explore PR stunts with high-profile athletes

MICE The SLT forms a case study for future events and plays a core part of Events Jersey marketing across channels (i.e. website, social and credentials pack). SLT is a case study for the island s event capabilities and the organisers have agreed to be ambassadors to help Events Jersey. There is the ambition to host a MICE FAM trip during SLT Jersey 2018 to demonstrate the island s capabilities in hosting international sporting events.

Travel Trade Working with the travel trade, Visit Jersey used SLT to inspire new tour operators to consider selling Jersey helping us reach the short-stay market in the shoulder seasons. Visit Jersey hosted tour operators on a familiarisation visit and showcased the island as a sporting/adventure destination. Companies included the Health & Fitness Travel Company, Voyage Privé and Zenith Holidays. Visit Jersey was able to share inspirational product for the tour operators to build into potential new programmes. Paul Joseph, Health & Fitness Company thank you for your hospitality, it was my first visit to Jersey and I really enjoyed my time it really is paradise. The Super League Triathlon was a great event and I really enjoyed it. I visited the Jersey War Tunnels on Monday which I found so interesting and would highly recommend to anyone visiting.

Travel Trade In 2018, there will be an opportunity to invite new tour operators to Jersey. SLT can be used as a platform to hold a Sports FAM, in partnership with Sports Jersey, which explore sports tourism to the island. A networking event could be delivered bringing the trade buyers together with on-island suppliers and the SLT organisers to discuss business. FAM trip participants can attend the SLT, to see for themselves the island s capacity to organise and stage events and deliver high levels of customer service. Potentially the event can be supported by an airline/ferry provider, sponsoring the participants flights/access to hospitality.

Engaging Industry A dedicated industry email was sent to Visit Jersey s database of 1,500 businesses announcing the launch of the event (18 July). In the run-up to SLT, the event was promoted in the bi-weekly industry e-news (4 August, 25 August, 8 September, 22 September) and in new product development features. Businesses were invited to offer experiences for the athlete immersion days and art installation space. The reception from on-island suppliers was generally positive towards the athlete immersion days. Visit Jersey/Events Jersey prompted businesses to download information packs and promote the event to visitors. As part of our industry support programme, Visit Jersey will advise industry on the SLT 2018 opportunities. A dedicated workshop with a supporting toolkit will be considered which can keep the industry abreast of the opportunities leading up to the event, inspiring businesses to use it as a product and marketing hook. Mario Setubal, Owner, Jersey RIB Adventures I think this is a great event and an awesome opportunity to showcase Jersey and everything we have to offer.

Our Welcome Lyndon Farnham Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture led a warm welcome with local school children to the island for SLT visitors at Jersey Airport. We inspired visitors and locals to share their experience of the SLT by sharing #theislandbreak on the pro-athletes tri-suits, through banners along the Avenue and in a JEP advertorial exploring the contribution of sports tourism to Jersey. As we move onto 2018, an important part of our plan will involve working with partners across Government, Ports of Jersey, and the tourism and hospitality sectors (i.e. Tourist Information Centre, Jersey Hospitality Association) to look at how we can collectively further enhance the SLT visitor experience. To take full advantage of the tourism opportunities presented by the SLT, Visit Jersey are keen to work in partnership with on-island suppliers spreading awareness on the business opportunities that the event offers, and encouraging the industry to improve the visitor experience and provide a world-class welcome.

Organising Relations Events Jersey established firm and fruitful links with the SLT. Looking into 2018, there is opportunity to work with other host-countries around the world to share best-practice. By building relations with the SLT executives, sponsors, media and athletes, there is opportunity to extend the reach of Jersey. Plans for the SLT will extend to the creation of a Jersey Sports and Entertainment Festival; a combination of sports and entertainment events to engage the entire community.

Evaluation There is scope to build on our measurement of the visitor number and spend, and in the future, explore the extent to which the event has challenged perceptions about the island. A full economic impact study would further provide information about the total benefit of the SLT to the Jersey economy and community. It would enable the Jersey taxpaying population to be further reassured that its investment was delivering good value for money.