Hundreds of thousands of fans trave

Hundreds of thousands of fans travel worldwide to watch their favourite sport — an international match, a tennis championship, a Formula One Grand Prix.In recent years there has been a huge increase in sports tourism. No longer are people content to sit in an armchair to watch their teams or sporting stars on television. They want to be where the action is, so they pack their bags and head straight for the airport.In ... (7) to the usual sporting events, the Olympic Games are held every four years. The Olympics may only last a couple of weeks, but they affect the host city for several years before. New facilities have to be built, not just for the games themselves but also for the thousands of international visitors who come to stay. The effects are also felt outside the host city as many visitors choose to explore the surrounding region, and this has a lasting effect on tourism in the country. For example, on the 1992 Olympic Games were held in Barcelona, in Spain, the city has become an extremely popular tourist destination.