Socio-economic impacts of micro-sport events: a systematic literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/vn0agp55Keywords:
micro-sport events, socio-economic impacts, territorial development, systematic literature review, PRISMAAbstract
In recent decades, sport events have increasingly been recognised as tools for economic development, social cohesion, and territorial transformation beyond their competitive dimension. Despite their small scale, micro-sport events have attracted growing attention due to their strong local embeddedness and reliance on existing resources. This study examines their socio-economic impacts within territorial contexts through a systematic literature review. Following PRISMA guidelines, the review synthesises 45 peer-reviewed studies from Web of Science and Scopus. The findings highlight both economic outcomes, including sport tourism and visitor expenditure, alongside social outcomes such as social capital, community cohesion, and residents’ perceptions. Governance, sustainability, and territorial attractiveness also emerge as important dimensions. However, gaps persist, including limited use of integrated frameworks, the predominance of cross-sectional quantitative approaches, and the underrepresentation of Global South contexts. The review contributes to a more integrated understanding of micro-sport events by emphasising the links between social and economic dimensions and the role of territorial contexts in shaping event outcomes. Overall, micro-sport events appear as territorially embedded processes whose impacts emerge through interactions between local dynamics, stakeholder coordination, and contextual conditions.
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