ABSTRACT
Australia is one of the largest global sport tourist destinations. This industry employs a significant number of Australia’s total employment with contributions to the national economy. There is no shortage of exciting sporting events in Australia. Sporting activities in Australia are as much about having a good time and getting some fresh air as they are about fierce competition and amazing athleticism. It is no surprise that Australia hosts world-renowned tournaments like the Australian Open, attracting sports fans from all over the world to enjoy the adrenaline-pumping atmosphere and world-class competitors. Considering the increasing rate of emerging technologies, tour operators can use them to remain competitive in the market. Adopting the content analysis method, this study explores how the technology applications are impacting events in Australia. The study identified that the use of sharing of content via social media, use of sharing platforms like Airbnb and Uber, use of payment platforms like PayPal and Apple Pay, use of apps to provide visitor information on nearby offerings and the use of virtual reality are providing virtual tours of hotels and hotel rooms are increasing the attractiveness of this popular sports event. Though currently, the country is struggling to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 to regain the losses of revenue in the last year, it is expected that this sport event will demonstrate resilience and continue to succeed in the coming years using technology applications. Further research can be conducted to measure the impact of technology application in other sports events in Australia.
