Study: Number of Sports Travelers Expected to Grow

A new study of more than 6,000 sports travelers across 12 international markets shows the number of people willing to travel for sports events is poised to grow and that those sports-related travelers book their journeys in different ways than leisure travelers.

The report, “Sports Tourists: Travelling With Passion” was created by GSIQ in collaboration with Milieu Insight to study the evolving behaviors, motivations and preferences of sports tourists.

The report concluded that there is a 63 percent potential increase over the coming years in people adding sports tourism into their travel plans. Overall, those travelers cite affordability, quality and value as the critical decision-makers when it comes to choosing which events they want to attend. Among the key findings:

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• Value and Quality Drive Decisions: While passion for sports remains central, travelers increasingly prioritize affordable tickets, high-quality travel experiences, and bundled value packages.
• Destination Matters: One in three tourists choose events based on the appeal of the host location, indicating strong opportunities for cities to position themselves as cultural and recreational destinations.
• Repeat Impact: 80 percent of attendees say sports tourism improves their perception of the host destination, with 79 percent returning for non-sports-related travel and 82 percent recommending the location to others.
• New Tourist Demographics Emerging: Younger travelers dominate in emerging markets, while affluent and frequent travelers over-index for pro sports games and premium experiences.
• Event Hosting as a Differentiator: Great fan experiences, positive buzz and easy access are essential for conversion, especially among high-spending, multi-trip travelers.

“Sports tourists travel differently. They’re not just fans — they’re explorers, adventurers and influencers.” said Oliver Rowe, global managing partner at GSIQ. “With this report, we equip stakeholders with actionable insights to turn growing interest into economic opportunity.”

Among the global audience surveyed, nearly half said they have traveled to attend professional sports games. And among that global audience, the largest percentage of people that attended those games were U.S. tourists. The next most popular events attended were amateur participation sports, professional tournaments and collegiate sports. And of significance, nearly 90 percent of those that have traveled to attend sports events say they have plans to attend again.

And in breaking down the age of those who say they travel for sports, in developed western markets the highest percentage of sports tourists are aged 35–54, making up 45 percent of sports tourists in the United States and 43 percent in the UK and China.

Also of note: Sports tourists tend to travel in groups. The report found 43 percent of sports tourists travel as a pair, while 44 percent travel in either a group of three to four people, or five or more. Those traveling in groups also reported they expect to take six trips in the next few years compared to four for those in smaller groups.