Abstract
Recent global events have highlighted the importance of domestic tourism to the South African tourism industry as an engine for economic resilience and sectoral recovery. If leveraged correctly, niche sport events can offer targeted, cost-effective and culturally relevant strategies for stimulating travel among locals and distributing economic and social benefits. Despite this, the potential of niche sport events has been largely overlooked. The present study investigated how niche pigeon racing events can be leveraged to stimulate domestic tourism development in South Africa. A mixed methods approach was utilised, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather a comprehensive set of data from pigeon fanciers and organisers. The findings reveal that pigeon racing niche events are significant for the South African tourism and events industry, making a notable contribution to the local economy. The study determined the need for enhanced marketing strategies and support from both governmental and community sectors to promote inclusivity and accessibility. The research bridges existing gaps in understanding the contribution of niche sport events to the South African events industry. The study further provides a novel contribution to the currently limited body of knowledge on pigeon racing in the context of sport tourism and tourism development.