Report: Global Sports Tourism To Hit $2 Trillion Next Decade

Global sports tourism is projected to be a $2 trillion industry by 2032, a massive surge from the $707 billion it was worth last year, according to a report from Priority Pass, an airport experiences program from British-based travel company Collinson.

The report, “From Stadiums to Spas: Unlocking the Explosive Growth of Sports and Wellness Travel,” researched more than 12,000 travelers across more than 25 countries. As part of its findings, 20% of respondents said they travel for sports while an additional 33% travel for both sports and wellness.

In a world where in-person experiences are increasingly valued, 49% said they travel for the excitement of live events, 48% did so out of passion for a specific sport or team, and 46% wanted to explore new cities through sports travel. The latter group is leading to a “halo effect,” where travelers going to new places also visit other cities or countries nearby while already away from home.

The most popular sport across the world for travel was soccer/football, which will likely prove true again in a World Cup year, especially given the recent news that FIFA has had 500 million ticket requests for the event in North America later this year. In the Americas, 54% of travelers did so for soccer/football, followed by American football (39%), basketball (29%) and baseball (25%). In Europe and the Middle East, soccer/football again led the way at 61% of travelers, with basketball at 29%, and motorsports at 27%; and in the Asia/Pacific region, the top two sports were soccer/football (54%) and motorsports (30%).

“The diversity in sports represents a significant opportunity to tailor lifestyle offerings to local tastes, building experiences that connect with travelers in each region,” said the report.

Esports, meanwhile, showed a distinct generational divide, with 16% of Gen Z respondents and 15% of Millennials saying that is the sport they’re most likely to watch live while traveling, compared to 7% from Gen X and 1% of Baby Boomers.

The average spend on sports was $771, with 62% saying they take trips of four days or fewer.

“These very memorable experiences create a more emotional connection that delivers lasting value and greater loyalty,” said Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International. “Brands that empower their customers to pursue their passions and travel interests are best placed to build genuine, long-term relationships in this new, experience-driven era.”

The survey took place in September and was conducted by Qualtrics. More than 1,000 of the respondents were from the United States and the same number were from the United Kingdom.