ESportsTravel Summit 2023 Recap

Last week, we traveled to Toronto, Canada for the ESportsTravel Summit 2023. Presented by SportsTravel and hosted by Destination Toronto, the summit connects esports Event Organizers with Destinations and vendors to facilitate connections surrounding this rapidly-growing sport. It was great to learn more about the world of esports, meet with our partners in person, and make new connections. Check out some of our highlights from ESportsTravel Summit 2023 below!

Kickoff (Opening Celebration) at the Hockey Hall of Fame

After arriving on Wednesday, we were thrilled to experience the Hockey Hall of Fame for the Opening Celebration. The Hockey Hall of Fame houses the sport’s most treasured artifacts, including the Stanley Cup. It was great to see familiar faces, make new connections and learn more about the history of hockey in the heart of Toronto!

Panel: What Event Organizers Want

Summit day one opened with an incredible panel with Rhanee Palma, Founder and CEO of Rhanee Palma & Co., Matt Marcou, Managing Partner at Tryhard Consulting, and Matt Traub, Managing Editor at SportsTravel. These industry leaders discussed what esports Event Organizers are looking for from successful host Destinations. Here are a few of our takeaways:

Ideal facilities for esports events have open, flexible space and easy access to transportation.
Important amenities include a sound stage and space for production teams
Pro tip: Event Organizers find it helpful to view facility maps in image format. Add a map of your Facilities to the ‘Photos’ tab of your Playeasy profile!
It’s important for host Facilities to have high-speed internet, communication with a control room and easy load in/loud out

Panel: What Event Organizers Want, Sponsored by Meet Boston

Session: Organizational Updates

This rapid-fire session featured several esports event organizers who discussed events for which they are seeking hosts, what direction their organizations are for the future, and what their vision of in-person events looks like in the years to come. It was amazing to learn about esports organizations including Tuwaiq Esports, the*gameHERs and more.

E-Chat: By The Numbers — The Latest Research

This informational session presented what the new research into what esports fans want in events, how far they are willing to travel and what they are looking for when they arrive at an event. Here are a few of our takeaways:

Lots of fans who showed interest in in-person events were willing to spend $200 on a hotel room, and 1/2 were willing to drive 2 hours.
Fans are searching for cultural experiences and fun attractions around the event. Younger demographics appreciate outdoor amenities and trails. Pro tip: Add local businesses in your community to your Destination profile on Playeasy to let groups know what’s available in your area!

E-Chat: By The Numbers — The Latest Research, Sponsored by Meet Chicago Northwest

“This week taught me that a special and overlooked part of the Esports community is the sheer amount of people willing to help one another. It was apparent how much everyone in esports loves what they do, and you can’t help but want to be surrounded by that energy. The EsportsTravel Summit introduced me to many friendly professionals with inspiring ideas and positive feedback. I’m looking forward to the next conference to connect in person with this industry soon!”
Jake Hughes | Account Executive