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Professor Lisa Delpy Neirotti, Director of the Sports Management Program at George Washington University, believes that the sports tourism market is huge and will grow strongly in the future.
"The sports tourism market will continue to grow, as long as there are new opportunities to participate and compete. This trend is developing on a large scale," emphasized Lisa Delpy Neirotti.
Sports tourists are willing to spend large sums of money on hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, shopping at local stores, and other tourist attractions. Delpy Neirotti believes that there are increasingly more professional teams competing internationally, and fans are keen to attend such events. Through social media and word-of-mouth, international tourists will be eager to participate in major sporting events around the world.
For some countries, these events are opportunities to enhance their standing on the international stage. Like China, Qatar, and many others, Saudi Arabia is using sports to showcase the country, not only to attendees but also to all those who watch the sports broadcast or streamed online.
In particular, Saudi Arabia has also invested heavily in the sports industry, most notably football and golf, recruiting famous athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Dustin Johnson to the kingdom.
Observers suggest that Saudi Arabia is stepping up its sporting development to attract global favor and restore its global image.
The online booking platform Booking.com is partnering with Major League Baseball to help travel fans find hotels near baseball stadiums, making travel easier for visitors.
Ms. Delpy Neirotti affirmed that the main goal of sports tourism is to increase travel, especially during slow or disrupted periods. Marking the end of summer travel, September is the "intermediate season" month – understood as the time between peak and off-peak seasons.
However, according to Adara, a travel and hospitality software company – A Rate Gain Company, Singapore still saw hotel prices rise to S$590 (US$440) over the past weekend during the annual Formula 1 racing season. Most hotels had occupancy rates above 90%. Jay Wardle, Chairman of Adara, noted that it was noteworthy that some hotels were able to charge even higher prices, up to S$800.
The most popular sporting events in 2023
This year, several countries have hosted large-scale sporting events, attracting tourists from around the world to boost the host country's economic development.
According to an analysis by the Baroda Economic Research Bank, the ICC men's cricket world championship, held from October 5th to November 19th, is expected to add between 180 and 220 billion Indian rupees (approximately $2.1 to $2.6 billion USD) to the Indian economy.
The 19th Asian Games were held in China in September 2023. According to Chinese media, from September 23rd to October 8th, the event sold over 3 million tickets, generating revenue of over 610 million yuan (US$85 million). Sales of licensed merchandise added another US$107 million, while sponsorship income from 176 companies contributed an additional US$623 million.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted in August that this year's Women's World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, had generated over $570 million in revenue.
Additionally, Indonesia is hosting this year's MotoGP race in October, while France is hosting the Rugby World Cup from August to September. Similar to the Formula 1 World Championships, the Grand Slam tournaments of tennis also attract worldwide attention.
The Olympic Games always attract a large number of visitors seeking opportunities to meet major sports stars.
Companies that cater to sports fans.
According to Booking.com, approximately 49% of American baseball fans plan to attend at least one MLB (Major League Baseball) game this year.
According to a press release, in March, MLB announced that it had become the official online travel partner of Major League Baseball – a move to develop tourism and help travelers find "hotels near the stadiums" for sports-related travel.
Travel + Leisure and Sports Illustrated Resorts also announced plans to open a network of sports-themed resorts in American college towns. The first facility is expected to open in Tuscaloosa, Alabama – home to the University of Alabama – by the end of 2025.
The travel experience booking website GetYourGuide reports that bookings related to sports have increased by 130% since 2019, with the majority of bookings coming from travelers in the UK (37%), the US (20%), Germany (17%), and France (15%).
