CubaPLUS Magazine

Cuban researcher and analyst José Luís Perelló today examined the impact of the current sports-tripping trend on the travel industry.

This type of tourism doesn't just encompass traveling to attend live sporting events. In recent years, the concept has expanded to include tourists traveling to participate in a sporting event, especially marathons and races.

In his regular Facebook commentary, Perelló refers to this trend as growing and significant.

He points out that this type of tourism capitalizes on this interest by encouraging travelers to stay for vacations and visit the city for a few days.

Sports-tripping grew by 10 percent last year, but 2025 is shaping up to be even stronger, according to a study conducted by the hotel chain Hyatt, which highlights that one in three travelers considers it one of life's greatest pleasures.

Since healthy lifestyle habits and sports are increasingly prominent in society, this travel trend is on the rise.

According to the Hyatt study, 31 percent of respondents said they would plan their vacations around a sporting event, whether their own or one they were attending.

Traveling to attend or participate in live sporting events is therefore consolidating as an upward trend among Spaniards, for example.

Hyatt details that Spaniards who identify with this profile of sports traveler make an average of four trips a year related to sports and plan to participate in at least six events in the next 12 months.

Sports-tripping thus reflects the growing interest of fans not only in following sports, but in making it the focus of their leisure and travel.

The data show a consolidation of this practice as part of the current leisure model.

In fact, 26 percent of respondents say they engage in active tourism. That is, they travel to watch and practice sports, in addition to attending as spectators, incorporating physical activities into their getaways while sharing leisure time with friends or family.

Furthermore, the Hyatt hotel chain highlights that accommodation also takes on a strategic dimension for this type of traveler. According to their data, 50 percent choose their hotel based on criteria related to the event.

In addition, 30 percent prioritize proximity to sports venues or the city center, 20 percent value whether athletes or teams are staying at the hotel, and around 18 percent take into account proximity to Fan Zones or the availability of complementary services such as restaurants, Perelló concludes.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)