Sports Destination Management named the 2017 U.S. Junior Squash Championships–the world’s largest individual squash tournament–as a Champion of Innovations in Sports Tourism in its 2018 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism awards released on Monday, November 19.

According to SDM, the recognized events achieved outstanding economic impact, an exceptional experience for athletes and spectators, media attention to the destination and more. The U.S. Junior Open was one of five nation-wide events honored in the Innovations in Sports Tourism category.

According to the Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau, the U.S. Junior Open provided economic stimulus to the area during a traditionally slow time for hotels and restaurants. The event provided 700 total room nights in local hotels and created a total economic impact of 1.3 million dollars.

Nearly 1,000 juniors from a forty-one countries competed across five age divisions with more than 2,000 matches taking place at the four central Connecticut venues–Yale University, Trinity College, Wesleyan University and Loomis Chaffee. The 2017 event took place over the course of four days, December 16-19. The U.S. Junior Open was first held in 1993.

Read the full report here.

The 2018 U.S. Junior Open moves to Boston, Massachusetts, where Phillips Academy Andover, Brooks School and Harvard prepare to host nearly 1,000 juniors from around the world, December 15-18.