What Is Sports Tourism?

There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the travel industry about “gig-tripping,” as fans of Taylor Swift and other musical artists plan vacations all around the world just for the live concert experience.

Meanwhile, another experience-driven trend is also on the rise: sports tourism. Whether you’re an athlete yourself or just a big fan, you might want to consider this approach to travel.

So what exactly is sports tourism, and what does it involve? Below, industry experts break down the benefits and downsides.

What is sports tourism?

“‘Sports tourism’ refers to when individuals plan their travel tied to specific sporting events, typically to spectate but, depending on the event, it could include participation as well,” said Carolyn Addison, the head of product at travel company Black Tomato. “Some of the classic examples are the Olympics and we’ve often seen this type of travel for events like F1 [Formula One racing] or the Tour de France.”

Sports tourism can sometimes involve venturing to a different city to watch a regular-season away game for your favorite team. Or you might travel to participate in your own athletic endeavor, like a marathon or team competition.

“Sports tourism ranges all the way from youth sports to professional leagues,” said Nate Hardesty, the managing director of the <a href=«https://www.hyatt.com/thompson-hotels/austh-thompson-austin?src=adm_sem_crp_chico_crp_ppc_NAM-UnitedStates-TX-Austin-TM-AUSTH_google_Evergreen2022_e_thompson%20austin&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745Cm1oK098wmbLcbzmAXCWRqApJmt4Cdd-MmmKWqRrdVCQQwWx2v3nwaAu1FEALw_wcB» role=«link» class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name=«Thompson Austin» data-vars-item-type=«text»