Fan-tastic Journeys: Sports and Music Events Take Fans to New Destinations

Priority Pass shares what sports and music fans want from their travel experiences.

Three-quarters of sports and music fans travelled to an event by plane in the past 3 years or plan to in the next 12 months

The top five sports people travel for are football, basketball, the Olympics, Formula 1 and tennis. Rock in Rio, Coachella and Taylor Swift are driving music tourism

Almost half of event travellers use airport experiences such as lounges, sleep pods and spas

With a huge summer of sports and major music events taking place, new global research found that of those who travel to an event by plane, more than four-fifths (83%) have travelled for sports and 71% for music in the past three years or plan to do so in the coming 12 months. Of these travellers, over half (56%) travel more than once a year with 22% attending 3 or more events annually.

The new research report, The Value of Sports and Music Tourism, from the owners and operators of Priority Pass, Collinson International, shows how and where people travel to watch their favourite sports team or music artists.

FUELLING WANDERLUST

As the biggest global sport, unsurprisingly football (soccer) has the most loyal fanbase with 69% of fans travelling to watch their favourite team. Basketball fans are the second most likely to travel (27%), followed by those watching the Olympics and Formula 1 (both 26%) and tennis (21%). On the other stage, music events attracting fans the most include Rock in Rio, Coachella and Tomorrowland with Taylor Swift, Travis Scott, Vasco Rossi and Ed Sheeran featuring as the most popular artists.

When it comes to where travellers will go, Sydney came out as the top destination (27%), followed by London (25%), Barcelona and Dubai (both 24%) and Paris and New York (both 23%).

Sports and music events fuel wanderlust, taking travellers to every corner of the globe. 84% have travelled to a new city or country for a sports or music event and of those, 31% said they have gone back – with a further 30% planning to return at some point in the future, allowing fans to constantly discover and explore new locations.

And it’s not just the game or concert travellers visit for, the majority of music (78%) and sports (76%) fans like to arrive between one and three days before an event, while 80% of music fans and 79% of sports fans like to stay one to three days after an event. This presents travellers with new experiences and memories, as well as huge economic growth opportunities for local businesses within these destinations.

ELEVATING THE JOURNEY

Almost half (47%) of event travellers have used airport experiences, which include visiting an airport lounge (29%), gaming lounge (16%), sleep pod (13%) and spa (12%). The top reasons fans visit an airport lounge is to relax and unwind before or after watching their favourite team / artist (54% for music fans and 53% for sports), followed by taking advantage of food and drink options (50% for music and 49% for sports).

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

HEY BIG SPENDER

When travelling to see their favourite team or artist, it’s not just about the destination, it’s about the journey too. Sports fans are the biggest spenders, with 51% exceeding $500 per trip, per person. The 25-34 age group spends the most overall, with a third (33%) exceeding $1,000 for sports and 31% for music events. In addition, just under half (44%) of event fans typically spend $100 at the airport.

“Whether it’s being in the crowd for the big game or watching your favourite artist at a festival, you can’t beat live events – especially when they’re combined with travelling the world. More than ever, people are travelling domestically and internationally for sports and music and this year marks a special occasion, with a huge summer of major events taking place globally”, says Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International, owner and operator of Priority Pass. “Our latest global research report reveals that not only are people travelling far and wide for sports and music events, but they also want to enhance their travel experiences to make these trips even more memorable. Priority Pass offers seamless, premium airport experiences that elevate every journey. With airport lounges and travel experiences in over 700 airports across 145 countries, there's an abundance of choice for wherever the summer takes you."

To find out more, read the full report here.

^{Notes

Collinson International, the owner and operator of Priority Pass, commissioned this research independently. The report is not endorsed by any party mentioned herein.

Methodology: Research commissioned by Collinson International, owner and operator of Priority Pass, and independently conducted among a sample of 8,537 travellers from 17 countries and territories including: Australia (505), Brazil (502), Colombia (503), France (501), Germany (503), Hong Kong (501), India (502), Italy (504), Mexico (502), Peru (503), Saudi Arabia (501), Singapore (503), Spain (501), Thailand (503), UAE (501), UK (502), and USA (500). The survey was completed online in June 2024.

Currency in USD.}