New report shows economic growth for airports due to sports and music tourism

Sports and music tourism has seen huge growth, with sports tourism being valued at $564.7b in 2023, with the value projected to double by 2032 to $1.33t. Music tourism is also on an upward trend with forecasts of $13.8b by 2032.

Sports fans compared to music fans, however, are clearly the biggest spenders globally when it comes to travel, according to the latest research from Collinson International, who are the owners and operator of Priority Pass and LoungeKey. In its report ‘The Value of Sports and Music Tourism’, 57% of Asia Pacific’s (APAC) sports travellers are spending more than $500 per trips, per person.

“Fans are by definition synonymous with loyalty. This new research shows the high value they place on travel benefits. Great news for the travel industry and for those businesses targeting frequent travellers providing the opportunity to capitalise on the rise of event tourism by offering the travel benefits fans crave. In return, they will see the advantage of being top-of-mind and wallet with these frequent travellers, boosting engagement, building loyalty, and driving additional cross-border spend,” says Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International, owner and operator of Priority Pass.

What are the spending habits of sports and music tourists?

Sports fans are the biggest spenders globally, with 57% from APAC exceeding US$500 per trip. Notably, 12% of respondents in APAC spend more than US$2,000 per trip. Globally, the 25-34 age group spends the most overall, with a third (33%) exceeding US$1,000 for sports and 31% for music events.

The typical spend for event travellers globally at airports is US$100 (44%) but this varies considerably with those travelling for basketball (30%), Formula 1 (32%) and the Olympics (31%) prepared to spend US$200 or more. As for those travelling for music, 25% are prepared to spend US$200 or above.

Over 4 in 5 (82%) of APAC sports and music fans have travelled to a new city or country to watch their favourite team or artist and of those, 28% said they have returned to these new cities/countries – with a further 31% planning to return. This presents huge economic growth opportunities for local businesses within these destinations, particularly where repeat business can be identified ahead of time. 

What are the benefits for airports?

Those travelling to see their favourite sports team or artist are looking for more premium travel experiences, which means they are more likely to take advantage of airport experiences.

More than half (52%) of APAC sports and music fans have used airport experiences when travelling for an event, which includes visiting an airport lounge (34%), gaming lounges (15%), sleep pods (16%) and spas (13%). The top reasons APAC fans visit an airport lounge is to relax and unwind before or after watching their favourite team/artist (58% for sports and 59% for music fans), followed by enjoying food and drink options at the airport (56% for sports and 57% for music). 

The uptake of airport lounges is higher among those spending more money on the trip overall. Globally, those travelling to basketball events (48%), Formula 1 (45%) and the Olympics (44%) are more likely to use lounges, with these fans also spending the most.