The sports travel sector saw a total direct spending of $52.2 billion in 2023, with Americans taking a record 204.9 million sports event-related trips. This information comes from the State of the Industry Report presented by the Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) at their conference in Portland, attended by over 700 members. The report defines a sports traveler as someone who participated or attended adult or youth amateur events, collegiate sports tournaments, races, or other events. Professional sports and collegiate regular season games were excluded from the analysis.
The data for the report was gathered from a spring Sports ETA membership survey, Longwoods International, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Travel Association, STR, and official event attendance figures. The study, conducted by Tourism Economics and in collaboration with Northstar Meetings Group Sports, found that 63% of respondents identified youth and amateur sporting events as the top generator of room nights. A total of 73.5 million room nights were generated in 2023, representing a 6.5% increase from 2019.
The lodging sector accounted for 21% of all sports-related travel spending, and lodging taxes serve as a primary funding source for destination marketing organizations. According to Sports ETA President & CEO John David, sports tourism has been a significant support to the tourism industry in recent years. The study also revealed that over $1.5 billion was invested in building youth and amateur sports facilities from 2020-2023, with an additional $1.6 billion expected to be completed by the end of the next year.
SETA membership has grown significantly in the past two years, indicating the growth of the sports travel segment. The industry also accounted for 757,600 jobs and generated $20.1 billion in total tax revenue. The report highlights the significant impact of sports tourism on local economies and communities across the country.