Europe’s event-driven tourism sector grew by 7% in 2025, with sport emerging as a central engine of growth, driving significant economic impact for destinations and local communities across the continent.
According to a comprehensive analysis by Mabrian and Data Appeal, both Almawave Group companies, the sports category accounted for the largest share of event-related tourism expenditure, highlighting professional matches and major competitions as major tourism magnets. Across the 12 European markets studied – including Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Greece, the UK, Germany, and France – sports accounted for 41.4% of all event-driven tourism spending, outpacing other event types.
Markets such as Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Greece stand out for their heavy reliance on sports events, where these experiences dominate local event calendars and tourism dollars. In countries including Greece, Ireland and Sweden, sports alone generated around 57% of all tourism expenditure tied to events, demonstrating their outsized economic contribution.
While expos and trade fairs also delivered strong growth in visitor spending, it is sporting events – especially high-profile matches and competitions – that consistently attract international visitors, drive hospitality bookings, fill transport networks, and boost local food and beverage sectors. This dynamic underscores the strategic importance of sports within Europe’s broader live-experience economy.
The data further reveals that Europe’s strongest tourism spenders – the UK, Germany and France – benefited from well-established event infrastructure and global appeal, positioning sports events as key drivers of inbound travel and extended stays. Meanwhile, destinations achieving the fastest year-on-year spending increases, such as Belgium (+20%) and the UK and Ireland (+10%), reflect a growing emphasis on high-impact sporting formats that elevate visitor value.
Read more at mabrian.com
Image: The Santorini Experience sports tourism event in Santorini, Greece (Credit: santorini-experience.com)