Sports tourism in Italy: a €12 billion market on the rise.
Sports tourism is no longer a niche: it is one of the most dynamic segments of the entire tourism economy, both globally and in Italy.
Global and National Market Statistics
Worldwide, the sector is worth over $800 billion, with Europe alone accounting for around 40% of the overall market. Within this landscape, Italy plays a leading role: in 2024, sports tourism generated over €12 billion in revenue in our country, involving more than 60,000 businesses along the supply chain, with 8% growth compared to the previous year.
The Evolution of the Modern Traveler
These figures reflect a profound shift in how people travel. Today’s travelers are looking for active, authentic experiences connected to wellbeing: sport, once a secondary activity during travel, has increasingly become the main reason for the trip itself.
Infrastructure and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Effect
Alongside this is another significant figure: ongoing investments in Italian sports infrastructure exceed €1.6 billion, aimed at modernizing existing facilities with growing attention to sustainability and inclusion. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics act as an accelerator in this context, with an estimated economic impact of over €6 billion and an infrastructure legacy that will last for decades.
The Strategic Role for Institutions
European and national institutions are also recognizing the sector’s strategic weight, including sports tourism among the priority drivers for economic development, in line with goals around sustainable tourism, territorial identity enhancement and the de-seasonalization of tourist flows.
Key Challenges: Fragmentation and Lack of Cohesion
Yet, despite these figures, the system remains fragmented: a disorganized offering, poor integration between sport, tourism and local businesses, no platform connecting the various players in the supply chain, and institutional representation that is still limited at both national and European level.
The solution: the Sport Routes ecosystem
It is precisely in this context — a huge, growing market that lacks an entity to represent it systemically — that Sport Routes comes in: an ecosystem designed to connect businesses, territories, sport and tourism, and to unlock the full value of an economic and cultural heritage that has not yet been fully expressed.
