By James Mathew
No doubt sports and wellness go hand in hand. But what about sports spectators and wellness? New studies and industry experts reveal sports enthusiasts are fast emerging as a significant driver of wellness tourism sector, with an increasing number of them now linking their sports-related travel around the world to get immersed in various wellness activities as well! The new breed of sports travellers wants it both ways — they want to experience the feeling of the electric energy of a stadium crowd, and also find tranquility in a secluded wellness retreat!
Interestingly, the rising trend of sports travellers combining the thrill of cheering for their favourite teams from the stands to indulge in the mind-body rejuvenation through advanced wellness activities is catching up among both millennials and Gen Z.
Importantly, the trend of sports enthusiasts shifting from travelling for just passive viewing of their favourite sports to ‘experiential travel’ is spurring growth in both wellness and sports travel sectors, industry experts said. This new wave of travel is as much about personal fulfilment as it is about the destination, redefining motivations behind travel, they said.
The surging pursuit among sports spectators to blend the excitement of live sports with a desire for personal well-being, relaxation, and rejuvenation is drawn out from the latest survey by Priority Pass, a market-leading airport experiences programme, which revealed that globally, among the sports and wellness travel enthusiasts, a third — 33 percent — have travelled for both sports and wellness.
According to the latest research by Qualtrics, a leading cloud-based experience management (XM) platform, for Priority Pass, when it comes to ticking items off their bucket list, 42 percent of younger people globally are seeking new experiences while travelling to watch famous global sports events, compared to just a third (33 percent) of their older counterparts.
“Travellers are increasingly choosing journeys that truly enrich, inspire and reflect their personal passions,” said Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International, which owns and operates Priority Pass. “Trip inspiration is increasingly being sparked by the excitement of a major sporting event or the restorative calm of a wellness escape. Travellers are seeking elevated travel experiences that align with their interests and create lasting memories, long after they touch down,” Evans said.
From stadiums to spas
Sector experts said the sports tourism industry is rapidly evolving with wellness emerging as an additive differentiator in attracting and engaging enthusiasts. Spectators now extend their trips beyond the match day to incorporate wellness activities, such as visiting spas, hiking, or participating in local yoga sessions. The Priority Pass study also showed nearly half of all sports travellers (46–47 percent) in Asia Pacific use these trips to explore new cities and fulfill personal health goals.
Sports fans are packing their bags, driven by the thrill of live events, team loyalty, and the desire to explore new destinations and mind-body wellbeing activities. According to the Priority Pass survey, nearly half (46 percent) of global sports travellers — and (52 percent) in the Middle East — say they are motivated to explore new cities through sports travel. The trend is even stronger among younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) — 49 percent compared to 40 percent of older travellers — Gen X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation, the survey showed.
Nehru Trophy boat race in Kerala, India Photo courtesy: Titoni Thomas/Pexels
While the large-scale fan following for major international sporting events such as the FIFA and Cricket World cups, Formula One races, Tennis tournaments and, of course, and Olympics, is emerging as the major growth driver for wellness tourism as well, growing popularity of several other sporting events such as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), rugby and boat races are also contributing to this trend in a big way. For instance, events such as the global MMA matches in Europe and the Middle East and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Alleppey in the South Indian state of Kerala are said to be contributing to the growth of traditional wellness activity centres in select European centres and also the age-old Ayurveda centres in Kerala of late.
For both the sports and wellness travel sectors, the latest trend is fast emerging as a major money spinner. While the surge in fan travel is projected to expand the size of the sports tourism market to over $2 trillion by 2032 from the estimated $707 billion in 2025 (Fortune Business Insights), the growing trend of sports enthusiasts seeking wellness pursuits during their travels is predicted to boost growth in the wellness travel industry to more than $910 billion from the estimated $525 billion during the same period.
Hospitality industry in high gears to cash in on the new trend
The hospitality sector players are quick to cash in on the emerging trend of wellness-focused travel plans of sports travellers, with several Hotel brands adapting new strategies to move beyond standard gym offerings to provide “pro-athlete-level” fitness and wellbeing facilities to woo them. According to industry insiders, leading brands such as Westin Hotels offering ‘Recover & Recharge Kits’, containing Hypervolt Go 2, Hypersphere Mini, to support recovery, as well as in-room Pelotons and EVEN Hotels (IHG) offering ‘Athletic Studios’ that offer high-intensity, yoga, and strengthening classes are examples of how the hospitality players are gearing up to take advantage of the new trend. Events like the Cincinnati Reds’ — the US baseball’s professional franchise — home weekend pairing with the Kroger Wellness Festival to offer nutrition, fitness, and mental health activities is also cited as a well-crafted effort to woo the new breed of sports travellers.
Hotels are adapting quickly to cash in on the new trend
Besides, hospitality players are also entering into collaborations with elite sport entities — both iconic clubs and Olympic athletes — to cash in on the new travel trend by sports lovers.
SIRO Hotels’s reported collaborations with AC Milan and athletes like Ramla Ali and Adam Peaty to shape their training experiences, the luxury Cretan resort Daios Cove’s move to featuring a BXR boxing gym, endorsed by Anthony Joshua, within its KEPOS by Goco wellness centre, and Aman Resorts’s reported partnerships with stars like Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova for curated wellness retreats are cited as examples of such high-profile collaborations.
Industry experts said the new breed of wellness-focused sports travellers often spend more per trip and stay longer — a win-win for both hospitality and wellness industry players. While the mind-body wellbeing-oriented sports travellers drive revenue for local wellness centers, their preferences for healthy dining options and specialized accommodation open up a new revenue stream for hospitality players.
Europe and Asia Pacific, driven by several high-profile events including the Olympics and FIFA World Cup, are leading in combining sports with high-end wellness experiences, while millennials and Gen Z are the primary drivers, seeking experiences over just the event.
