Sports Tourism Market Size, Share & Analysis | Forecast 2031

Report Description

The global sports tourism market size was valued at USD 587 Billion in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 2411.6 Billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 17.2% during the forecast period, 2023–2031. The rising integration of travel, tourism, and sports in different countries coupled with the growing popularity of major sports events is expected to boost the market.

The rising inclination of people toward sports and travel is boosting sports tourism. This is leading sports and fitness enthusiasts to travel to different countries for enhanced professional athlete training and attending sports leagues, which propels the market. Sports and traveling are certain ways adopted by people to change their sedentary routines and maintain healthy body functions.

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People are taking vacation breaks that include exploring sports and other physical activities across worldwide countries. This is one of the major reasons for the increasing demand for improved sports culture and experience around the major sporting countries of the world. For instance,

• According to a report by the Sports Events and Tourism Association, around 180 million people across different regions attended various sports events in the US in 2019. Among these people, many were participants, while most of them were spectators. The report also mentions that the growing interest of people in popular sports tournaments across various countries is the main reason for the surging number of international visits to sports events in the country.

Sports tourists are expected to help in boosting the economies of the host countries by contributing to the sectors including transportation, accommodation, food & beverage, and various other commercial sectors. Thus, many countries are anticipated to host large-scale sports events to attract sports enthusiasts, which in turn propels the country’s economy as well as the sports tourism market.

The COVID-19 pandemic impeded the growth of the sports tourism market, as there were travel restrictions and lockdowns implemented by governments of different countries to curb the virus spread. This led to postponing and rescheduling the sports events, which slowed down the growth of the market.

However, the increasing health and fitness concerns among many people during the post-covid scenario supported in the market recovery, as many people adopted sports as a daily activity. Thus, the active participation and interest of people in sports as well as travel trends post covid helped sports tourism to regain and even boost its popularity.

Sports Tourism Market Dynamics

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Major Drivers 

Rising active participation of global sports personalities and their travel to different countries for international events such as basketball, cricket, and soccer is anticipated to boost the market. Sportspersons from different countries participate in these events to represent their countries, and spectators from respective countries tend to travel to watch their live performances.

This increases the domestic & international traveling trips for sports among people in different countries, thus boosting the global sports tourism market.
The increasing number of spectators with the growing popularity of various sports tournaments such as soccer and cricket is projected to lead to high revenue generation for host countries.

This is further facilitating the countries to invest in the development of larger seating facilities in the event venues. In addition, large crowds & spectators help in market expansion due to high event ticket prices. Such increasing participation in big-ticket sports tournaments further boosts revenues and results in market expansion.

Existing Restraints

Strict government regulations on travel & tourism are likely to restrain the market, as hosting large-scale events requires following legal protocols and permissions devised by government authorities. Such procedures can be time-consuming and also inconvenient to tourists from other countries, which can restrict the growth of the market.

Changing environmental conditions in various regions affect the organizing of sports events, and further impedes the market growth. Moreover, high prices of tickets are expected to affect the sales of the event tickets, as it puts additional burdens on the finances of the tourists.

Emerging Opportunities

Rapid development of tourism and sports infrastructure such as the building of sports hubs in emerging countries is projected to create several growth opportunities in the market. Several mountains and hilly areas in such countries are being used for high-altitude training and creating sports complexes. This draws the attention of domestic & international tourists to plan and visit these places for vacations as well as sports purposes. For instance,

• On 14 January 2023, C.L.A.W Global launched Soul of Steel- which is the world’s first skill & endurance challenge in high altitude. In this challenge, selected participants across the world are expected to compete as teams in which their skills are utilized for high-altitude mountain climbing.

Rising integration of adventure and tourism as a result of the increasing interest in exploring places and experiencing adventure activities is expected to create lucrative opportunities in the market. Such increasing inclination of people in adventure activities is leading the national to local level governments to promote adventure sports in popular tourist locations.

Similarly, one of India’s major tourist destinations, Goa, is being explored by the state government to develop and promote adventure sports locations for national and international tourists. A recent news report in 2023 indicated that Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) is promoting bungy jumping in Mayem, North Goa. Such adventures are further anticipated to attract international tourists for adventure sports, which generate significant growth opportunities for the market.

Scope of Sports Tourism Market Report

The report includes an assessment of the market trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.

Sports Tourism Market Segment Insights

Sport Type Segment Analysis

Based on sport type, the sports tourism market is divided into soccer, cricket, motorsport, tennis, hockey, basketball, baseball, and others. The soccer segment is expected to expand at a major growth rate during the projection period, owing to its popularity across the world. Several major soccer tournaments and leagues are organized across the globe each year, which is a popular attraction among soccer or football enthusiasts.

The easy availability of high-quality soccer infrastructure and equipment in several countries further helps in segment expansion. Moreover, increasing global internet penetration and easy access to social media are majorly boosting the fanbase of soccer tournaments and leagues. The growing fandom for soccer is further driving soccer sports tourism all over the world. For instance,

• According to a report by YouGov Sport, around 39% of individuals in the US watched sports through live sports events on their devices, specifically on smartphones. People aged between 18 to 24 are the most common online audiences as compared to ages above 55.

The cricket segment is anticipated to account for a significant market share during the forecast period, due to its increasing popularity in several countries including Australia, India, and England. These countries have consistent major cricket leagues and tournaments, which are anticipated to draw audiences to the events.

Increasing crowds result in high GDP through event tickets, hotels, and food & beverage consumption in the host countries. Thus, many countries including India, host yearly sports leagues to integrate the participants of different national teams to increase the popularity of cricket, thus propelling the segment.

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Type Segment Analysis

On the basis of type, the global market is bifurcated into domestic tourism and international tourism. The domestic tourism segment is projected to register a considerable CAGR during the forecast period, attributed to the ongoing sports infrastructure developments in different countries. Countries are developing infrastructure suitable for different sports such as cricket, baseball, football, and hockey to support the growing interest in sports participation and viewing.

Increasing government policy integration with private sports organizations is likely to create opportunities for the promotion of domestic tourism, which in turn boosts the market segment. The international tourism segment accounts for a significant market share, as a rising number of countries are hosting international sports leagues and tournaments to boost tourism.

Governments from various countries, such as European countries, are taking the initiative to promote tourism by hosting famous soccer events. Europe has several popular soccer teams with fans across the world. Thus, such worldwide popular events are increasing travel to international destinations for sports viewing while vacationing, which in turn further drives the international tourism segment.

Category Segment Analysis

Based on category, the sports tourism market is segmented into active, passive, nostalgia, and sports event. The passive segment is expected to register a robust growth rate during the projection period, as taking vacation trips to different countries to enjoy live events is a popular way to enjoy favorite sports among many individuals.

Sports such as soccer, baseball, and cricket have a large number of fans and spectators who prefer to watch their favorite players' live performances, this, as a result, is likely to propel the segment in the coming years. The active segment is expected to hold a significant share of the market, due to the increasing interest of people for participation in various sports and activities.

Additionally, the rising disposable income in developed countries facilitates them to opt for personal training and participate in large-scale events. Moreover, the surging concerns regarding obesity and other health problems are leading people to actively take part in sports, which, in turn, helps in segment expansion.

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Regional Outlook

In terms of region, the global sports tourism market is classified as Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Europe is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to the rising number of trips to the countries in Europe, for participating and watching sports events. European countries including the UK, France, and Germany have a high number of soccer events, thus many people from other regions travel to Europe, which boosts the regional market.

The market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period, due to the growing development activities taking place in the region. The increasing number of participants from the countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, and India in global sports events such as the Olympics and Cricket World Cup is boosting the segment. For instance,

• According to a recent study report, around 499 participants from Japan, 381 from China, and 203 from South Korea participated in the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo in 2021. Several sportspersons from other countries including Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia participated in the same event.

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