Active travel and “sportcations” are continuing to be one of the biggest trends in tourism, with Trip.com Group seeing a strong double-digit increase in booking GMV (gross merchandise value).
From cycling through mountain passes to joining diving camps and wellness retreats, active travel is becoming a defining part of how people experience the world.
This shift is gathering pace across the full travel journey, with searches for active sports experiences growing by more than 30% year on year, according to Trip.com, with markets witnessing substantial increases: 80% in Singapore, 65% in Malaysia, and 50% in the United Kingdom, while France, Italy, Germany, and Spain all recorded triple-digit growth.
Total travel booking GMV has increased by almost 40%, with markets such as South Korea (+150%), Singapore (+104%), and Thailand (+200%) seeing bookings more than double over the past year. The same is seen for European travellers. The United Kingdom saw bookings grow by over 100%, and Germany by over 600%, highlighting that travellers are increasingly planning holidays around experiences that get them moving.
From adrenaline to adventure
Active travel is taking many forms, reflecting the wide range of interests shaping today’s holidays. Globally, diving ranks as the most-booked sporting experience, followed by activities such as ziplining, paragliding, skydiving and cycling.
Across individual markets, preferences vary, giving destinations their own unique sporting identities. Adventure activities prove especially popular across Asia. Diving leads bookings in South Korea, Malaysia, Germany, Spain, Italy and France. At the same time, skydiving ranks first in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand, while Japanese travellers show the strongest preference for cycling.
Destinations drive signature experiences
As travellers increasingly build holidays around the activities they love, certain places are emerging as go-to destinations for particular passions. The data shows that five destinations in particular stand out across multiple types of active travel, with Thailand, China, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia appearing among the leading destinations across cycling, climbing, swimming, water sports and adventure experiences.
Thailand leads the way, appearing across all five categories and ranking as the leading destination for diving, while also featuring among the top destinations for cycling, water sports and adventure activities. This breadth of experiences makes it a particularly strong destination for travellers looking to combine different activities within one trip.
Australia stands out as another versatile destination, attracting travellers for cycling, rock climbing, surfing and kayaking, as well as adventure activities such as paragliding and skydiving. Its presence across multiple categories reflects the growing appeal of destinations where travellers can combine diverse active experiences within the same holiday.
Image: Diving ranks as the most-booked sporting experience (Photo by Subtle Cinematics on Unsplash)
Graphics: Trip.com