According to UNWTO, sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the travel industry.
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Start your engines. From Formula 1 races to the Summer Olympics, travel to major sporting events is on the rise.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, so-called sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the travel industry.
“The market is huge and will only grow,” said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, professor and director at George Washington University’s Sport Management Program.
“The sports tourism market will continue to exist as long as there are new ways to play and compete,” she said. “The numbers are very different, so it’s hard to get a good number. The biggest advantage is that it is huge and growing.”
Sports tourists spend money “by staying in hotel rooms, eating at restaurants, pumping gas, shopping at local stores and visiting other tourist attractions,” Delpy Neirotti noted.
More and more professional teams are playing in international locations and their fans are following them, said Delpy Neirotti. This can draw attention to destinations through social media and word of mouth, she said.
“The Padres played in Mexico City and had a huge fan base there – the same goes for the NFL in Germany or the MLB in London,” she said. “It gives people or fans a reason to plan a trip and travel.”
England fans celebrate at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brisbane, Australia on August 7, 2023.
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For some countries, these events are an opportunity to increase their international reputation.
“Saudi Arabia – like China, Qatar and many others – is using sport to showcase their country – not just to participants, but to everyone who watches the show or stream,” she told CNBC Travel.
Saudi Arabia in particular is investing heavily in sport, particularly football and golf, recruiting high-profile athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Dustin Johnson to the kingdom.
Critics argue that Saudi Arabia is increasing sports to gain global favor and restore its global image – a practice known as “sports washing” that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced in an interview with Fox News in September.
A main goal of sports tourism is to increase travel, especially during traffic jams or off-peak times, said Delpy Neirotti.
Lewis Hamilton interacts with fans outside the paddock during the F1 Singapore Grand Prix on September 17, 2023.
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September marks the end of the summer travel season and is a classic “off-season” month. Still, hotel prices in Singapore rose to 590 Singapore dollars ($440) during the annual Formula One race weekend, with occupancy at most hotels exceeding 90%, according to hotel and travel software company Adara – A Rate Gain Company.
“It is noteworthy that some hotels can achieve even higher prices, reaching up to SG$800,” said Jay Wardle, president of Adara.
This year, several countries held large-scale sports competitions, attracting tourists from different parts of the world and boosting the host economy.
According to an analysis by Bank of Baroda Economics Research, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, to be played from October 5 to November 19, was expected to generate 180 billion to 220 billion Indian rupees (around 2.1 billion to 2.6 billion) to the Indian economy US dollars) bring in department.
Fans of India at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, 2023.
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According to Chinese media, more than three million tickets were sold at the 19th Asian Games held in China from September 23 to October 8, generating revenue of more than 610 million yuan (US$85 million). Sales of licensed merchandise brought in another $107 million, and sponsorship revenue from 176 companies brought in another $623 million, it said.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in August that this year’s Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, brought in more than $570 million in revenue.
Indonesia hosted a stage of this year’s MotoGP in October, while France organized the Rugby World Cup in August-September. Tennis’s Grand Slam tournaments attracted worldwide attention, as did global Formula One races – including the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, which ended on November 18th.
According to Booking.com, nearly half (49%) of U.S. baseball fans plan to travel to at least one MLB game this year, with 61% saying they would travel up to 500 miles to do so.
In March, the company announced that it had become the official online travel partner of Major League Baseball, a deal that would help travelers find “baseball stadium-adjacent hotels” for such trips, according to a press release.
Booking.com is teaming up with Major League Baseball to make it easier for traveling fans to find hotels near ballparks across the United States.
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Travel + Leisure Co. and Sports Illustrated Resorts announced plans to open a network of sports-themed resorts in American college towns. The first is scheduled to open in late 2025 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama – home of the University of Alabama.
According to travel booking website GetYourGuide, sports-themed bookings have increased by 130% since 2019, with most bookings coming from travelers in the UK (37%), US (20%), Germany (17%) and France (15%). .
According to the company, the most popular sports experiences this year include tours of Britain’s McLaren Technology Center, Fenway Park in Boston and New York’s Madison Square Garden.
But some sports tourists want even more.
Luxury travel company AMPM charges annual fees of $8,000 for a “standard membership” and $30,000 for a service-intensive “elite membership.”
For the price, the company can secure its members access to major events such as New York Fashion Week and the US Open, a company representative told CNBC Travel.
Some fans are no longer satisfied with attending the Olympics and want access to the Olympic Village and meet-and-greet sessions with participants.
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“Other sports experiences we have arranged for our members include F1 track experiences – including exclusive access to the members-only paddock – NBA courtside tickets and locker room access,” said company co-founder Laurent Baud.
The company can also arrange post-game helicopter rides and field access to major sporting events, she said.
Another company, GR8, is also organizing unique luxury experiences for travelers. Requests are already being accepted for France’s 2024 Summer Olympics, including opening ceremony seating, access to the Olympic Village and meet-and-greet sessions with athletes and coaches, a company representative told CNBC Travel.
The company organizes special access to the Kentucky Derby, the Grand Slam tennis tournaments and the Super Bowl, according to its website.
But it has recently set its sights on a different market.
“GR8 has received many requests to bring sporting events to Asia with some of the most important institutions and companies there,” said Barnabas Carrega, CEO and co-founder of GR8, adding that this includes requests to host NBA All-Star Games be the continent.
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