Get ready to travel for sports: The era of ‘sports tourism’ has arrived

Start your engines. From Formula One races to the Summer Olympic Games, traveling to attend major sporting events is on the rise.

Sports tourism, as it’s called, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

The market is massive, and only stands to grow, said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, professor and director at George Washington University’s Sport Management Program.”

“The sport tourism market will continue as long as new opportunities to play and compete exist,” she said. “The numbers are all over the place, so it is hard to get a good figure. The biggest takeaway is that it is huge and growing.”

Sport tourists spend money “by staying in hotel rooms, eating at restaurants, filling up gas tanks, shopping in local stores and visiting other tourism attractions,” noted Delpy Neirotti.

More professional teams are playing in international locations, and their fans are following them, said Delpy Neirotti. This can bring attention to destinations through social media and word of mouth, she said.

“The Padres played in Mexico City and had a huge fan base there — same for NFL in Germany or MLB in London,” she said. “It gives people or fans the reason to plan a trip and travel.”

For some countries, these events are an opportunity to raise their international standing.

“Saudi Arabia — like China, Qatar and many others — are using sport to introduce their country — to not only attendees but all those watching the broadcast or stream,” she told CNBC Travel.

Saudi Arabia, in particular, is investing heavily in sports, most notably in soccer and golf, recruiting high-profile athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Dustin Johnson to the kingdom.

Critics argue that Saudi Arabia is doubling down on sports to curry global favor and rehabilitate its global image — a practice dubbed “sportswashing” which Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced during an interview with Fox News in September.

A major goal of sports tourism is to increase travel, especially in slow or shoulder periods, said Delpy Neirotti.

Marking the end of summer travel, September is a classic “shoulder season” month. Yet Singapore saw hotel prices climb to $590 Singapore dollars ($440) during its annual Formula One race weekend, with most hotels exceeding 90% occupancy rates, according to hospitality and travel software company Adara – A Rate Gain Company.

“It’s noteworthy that some hotels are able to command even higher rates, reaching as high as SG$800,” said Jay Wardle, president of Adara.

This year, several countries hosted large-scale sporting competitions that attracted tourists from various corners of the globe, boosting the hosts’ economies.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, held from Oct. 5 to Nov. 19, was expected to add between 180 to 220 billion Indian rupees (around $2.1 to $2.6 billion) to India’s economy, according to an analysis by The Bank of Baroda Economics Research department.