Sports Tourism Soars as Fans Travel the World for Live Action

As the global summer sports calendar hits full swing, fans are doing more than just watching — they’re travelling. New insights from visa platform Atlys reveal a surge in sports tourism, driven by major events like Wimbledon 2025 and the Formula 1 World Championship.

Wimbledon 2025, taking place in London from 30 June to 13 July, has already triggered a 28 per cent increase in UK visa search queries on Atlys. No longer just a tennis tournament, Wimbledon is becoming a key part of broader travel plans, with fans blending match attendance with sightseeing and leisure across the UK.

The 2025 Formula 1 season, spanning 24 races across 21 countries, is also influencing global travel behaviour. Atlys data shows spikes in visa interest for destinations like Italy, Monaco, Japan, and the UK — particularly three to five weeks before each Grand Prix. Visa-related searches for F1 races have jumped between 18 and 30 per cent, as travellers plan full itineraries around race weekends.

This growing trend isn’t new. Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, visa applications from India rose by 60 per cent, with a 50 per cent spike in sports tourism inquiries. Group visa applications also saw a 45 per cent boost.

“The data reflects a clear shift,” said Mohak Nahta, Founder & CEO of Atlys. “Fans are no longer content just watching from home. They want to be part of the energy, the atmosphere, the story.”

From the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai — which led to a 45 per cent rise in bookings — to major global tournaments, sports are becoming the anchor around which holidays are built. Today’s travellers are chasing moments, not just matches, making sports a powerful driver of international tourism.