Sports tourism has become the main economic driver of the sports industry and is set to account for up to 60% of its global growth by 2030, according to the report Sports for People and Planet, published by the World Economic Forum. By 2025, the segment is generating around 672 billion dollars and represents 10% of global tourism spending, well ahead of other areas of the sports economy such as professional sport, equipment or related services.
The report examines how this rapid growth is reshaping the sports economy, driven by the increase in events, the diversification of competitive formats and the expansion of consumption linked to travel and sporting experiences. Throughout the document, it analyses why sports tourism is leading sector growth, how it has become a central pillar for destinations and organisations, and why this same expansion concentrates a high exposure to climate, financial and operational risks, placing it at the centre of a growing tension between economic opportunity and structural vulnerability.
The main economic engine of global sport
The growth of sports tourism has consistently outpaced that of general tourism since 2020. The report notes that the segment has recorded an annual growth rate of 28% since that year, compared with 22% for the overall tourism sector, making it one of the fastest-recovering areas following the pandemic. In the medium term, average annual growth of 17.5% is projected through 2030, driven by the proliferation of international competitions, the rise of endurance events and the consolidation of hybrid experiences that combine participation and attendance.
Beyond events themselves, sports tourism acts as an economic multiplier across the entire value chain. Travel, accommodation, food services, ticket sales and the commercialisation of associated products account for a significant share of spending generated by fans and participants. The report highlights that international marathons, endurance races and sports events in urban and natural settings are attracting tens of thousands of international visitors, with registrations in some cases selling out within minutes, reinforcing the direct economic impact on host destinations.
Competitions in outdoor environments
The report underlines that sports tourism is highly dependent on outdoor activities, increasing its exposure to environmental factors. More than 90% of professional sport broadcasting rights and 76% of sponsorship revenues are linked to competitions held in open-air settings, a situation that amplifies risks associated with extreme weather, pollution and environmental degradation, with direct effects on the viability of events and destinations.
This vulnerability already has a measurable economic impact. The document describes how phenomena such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall or poor air quality are leading to event cancellations and rescheduling, with consequences for revenues, audiences and commercial contracts. In the United Kingdom, for example, adverse weather conditions generate estimated annual losses of 320 million pounds in community sport. Added to this are rising insurance costs, reduced coverage availability and greater investor caution around projects linked to events and sports venues.
Managing visitor flows and limiting financial risk
The growth of sports tourism also shapes host-city decisions and urban planning. The report highlights that cities’ ability to absorb large visitor flows, provide resilient infrastructure and limit financial risks has become a key factor when hosting large-scale sporting events, particularly in a context of increasing climate uncertainty and resource pressure.
Within this landscape, sports tourism is identified as one of the most exposed sectors of the sports economy, alongside sporting goods retail and participatory sport. Its reliance on mobility, the natural environment and operational stability places it at the centre of the report’s risk analysis, while at the same time accounting for a substantial share of the sector’s projected growth. The document also notes that the economic benefits traditionally associated with hosting major events are becoming increasingly unpredictable due to the growing incidence of climate-related and operational risks affecting their profitability.
