If you like to travel to another city or even to another country to follow a sport event, you are not alone anymore. Of course, every two years there is a lot of talk about the Olympic Games, and how many people are traveling to watch the athletes at many events, but that is not all. All year round, fans follow their favorite sports in stadiums, along streets, on the seas, and on mountains. A research discovered that for their last trip, 44% of sports fans traveled to another country to follow a sport event.
According to the survey that was conducted in selected countries in Europe, North America, and Asia, football (a sport where you are supposed to kick the ball instead touching the ball with a hand) is the most popular sports that fans want to follow live on site even if it means traveling overseas.
Willingness to travel to another country for sports is high especially in Canada (where 62% of respondents are likely to travel overseas for a sports event), Germany (58%) and France (57%).
On sports related trips that are longer than a day, three out of five travelers also stay in another location where the sports event takes place.
The data from the research is convincing enough to encourage travel businesses and sports events to invest in services that make more people aware of the sports travel experience, and attract more travelers. But which sport is the most popular that is followed live on site? Olympic Games, football, or … cycling?
The Tour of France cycling race on the roads of France lasts three weeks every July. Although the roads are closed for traffic during each day’s stage, they are open for spectators. And there are plenty of them from all over Europe, from Japan, from Columbia, from the US. French families like to make it an all day picnic in the great outdoors, whereas cyclists of all levels like to test their legs in the same ascents that the professionals seem to fly up. I once met a cyclist from Australia who brought his bicycle along, rented a van at the airport, and followed the race for a couple of weeks.
It is practically impossible to get an exact number on how many spectators follow the Tour of France on roadside because people can come and go as they like – no tickets, no registration, it is open to all. There are estimations that set the number of spectators at 12 million during three weeks. Television audiences for the Tour are estimated to be around 3.5 billion across the world. The Tour of Italy in May and The Tour of Spain in August-September have somewhat lower spectator numbers.
Whatever is the most popular sports globally, one thing is certain: everyone who follows sports has his or her favorite team or athlete. Some people like to travel to a city where their favorite band or singer is performing, whereas others travel to see athletes compete. Either way, I always like to reserve a few days for tourism in the destination as well.