Many people have asked the question, “What is sports tourism?” Sports tourism is traveling from one region, country, state, etc. to engage or participate in a sports-related activity. Sports tourism combines the passion for sports with the desire to experience new experiences or destinations.
While sports tourism has not always been extremely popular, it is definitely on the rise. A recent report estimates the value of the global sports tourism market was $587.87 billion in 2022. The industry is expected to grow at a rate of 17.5% through 2030. The popularity of events like the Olympic Games, the NBA, and the FIFA World Cup have contributed to this growth. While these events have economic short-term benefits for an area, they can be a catalyst for longer-term tourism development opportunities.
In 2004, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the International Olympic Committee issued a joint statement that illustrates the strong dynamic between sport and tourism, “Tourism and sport are interrelated and complementary. Sport – as a professional or leisure activity – involves a considerable amount of travelling to play and compete in different destinations and countries. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, football and rugby championships and auto racing have become powerful tourism attractions in themselves – making a very positive contribution to the tourism image of the host destination.”
What are the Different Types of Sport Tourism?
There are actually four primary types of sport tourism. These include:
• Event-based tourism
• Active sport tourism
• Sports heritage tourism
• Sports-themes cruises or tours
