From 15–17 October 2025, Lisa Hepperle participated in the IRNIST Conference (International Research Network in Sports Tourism) in Faro, Portugal, where she was awarded the PhD Award for the best presentation. The prize included a small monetary award and recognised outstanding contributions from early-career researchers in the field of sports tourism.
The conference took place on the campus of the University of the Algarve. As the IRNIST network is still relatively young, this was only its tenth edition. The interdisciplinary nature of sports tourism was reflected in the diverse backgrounds of the participants: researchers from geography, sport science, management, tourism studies, sociology and anthropology came together to discuss current developments and research findings.
This year’s conference theme was “Sustainable governance and destination management.” The keynote lectures addressed topics such as:
- the organisation of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
- the significance and challenges of mega sport events in sports tourism
- developments in adventure and nature sports tourism from various perspectives
In addition, several short presentations and discussion sessions with local stakeholders were held. The Algarve is an important destination for sports such as sailing, golf, and cycling, which was reflected in the presence of representatives from these sectors. Despite the conference’s modest size, it brought together a highly international group of participants from Europe, the United States, North Africa, South America, China, and islands in the Indian Ocean.
Complementing the academic programme, the conference offered a range of social and sporting activities: an afternoon of stand-up paddling or kayaking, an excursion to a golf course, and a visit to the local marina, including a short trip on a catamaran. These activities provided excellent opportunities for informal exchange and networking with international colleagues. A cultural highlight was the conference dinner, which featured a traditional Fado performance.