Fans Expected to Travel in Record Numbers for 2026’s Mega-Events

From the World Cup to headline concert tours, passion-led travel is reshaping how younger audiences plan and spend, Arival report finds

 

NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 29, 2025 – Travelers aren’t just attending events – they’re building entire trips around them. Arival’s new report, The Event-Driven Traveler, reveals that fandom – whether for a sport, artist, or performance – is a major motivator for travel, especially among younger audiences.  With global fan-based events such as the World Cup, Ariana Grande’s upcoming tour, and the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon, passion-driven travel is set to accelerate even further.

 

Among the key findings of the report: 

• 71% of US sports attendees and 62% of performing arts fans aged 18–34 identify as “high-level” fans
• Sports fans spend more and book earlier – often planning entire trips around a single match or concert
• Social media is the top discovery channel for younger travelers, with TikTok and Instagram most popular
• Over half book tickets within a week of the event

 

The report highlights the emotional intensity of event-driven travel.  Younger US travelers show the highest levels of fandom, with more than 60% describing themselves as “highly committed” to the sport or artist they traveled to see. In Europe, half of 18–34-year-olds reported high fandom levels, underscoring the global nature of passion-led travel.

 

This passion translates directly into spending – and sometimes borrowing. Sports fans in particular are willing to pay premium prices for tickets, travel, and related experiences.  Many book earlier than arts attendees, often securing tickets before planning other aspects of their trip.  But buy-now-pay-later has become as common as overdrafts among UK adults, and younger fans are especially likely to use this option to fund their experiences.

 

“Fandom is a powerful driver of travel intent,” said Douglas Quinby, CEO and Co-founder of Arival. “Whether it’s a football final, a headline concert, or a cultural performance, travelers are prioritizing what they love – and they’re willing to spend significantly to experience it live.  This passion‑driven behavior is reshaping the travel landscape. 

“Experience providers must recognize that these travelers are not casual attendees. They’re deeply engaged, highly motivated, and often making travel decisions based on a single event.  The challenge – and opportunity – is to build experiences that resonate with this emotional connection, and to meet them where they’re discovering and booking – on social media and direct channels.”

 

This passion-driven trend will be explored in depth at Arival 360 Valencia, which takes place in April 2026.  The event’s new Culinary Experiences Stream will spotlight the intersection of food, fandom, and events – from music festivals to night tourism.  Delegates will also enjoy sessions on how experience creators can use AI to target fans and enthusiasts traveling for major events, and hear candid insights from industry experts on what’s working in passion-led travel.

 

Find out more about Arival 360 Valencia and other upcoming events at arival.travel.

 

About Arival

Arival produces conferences, insights and community for tours, activities and attractions and is the global research authority for in-destination experiences. Arival research offers exclusive, primary quantitative and qualitative research to help tour, activity, and attraction industry professionals understand key market trends, identify new opportunities, set their strategies, track their competitors and understand their customers. Learn more at Arival.Travel.

 

About the report

Arival’s Event-Driven Traveler report was based on an online survey of 2,400 US and European travelers (France, Germany, Spain, and the UK) and was conducted in fall 2024.  Respondents qualified as “event travelers” if they had taken a leisure trip at least 100 miles from home in the past year, stayed overnight, and attended a performing arts or sporting event.  The study explored their behaviors, preferences, and attitudes around event attendance, trip planning, and spending.  The report was part of a wider series of research for global operators.  For more information on the report, please contact jmatthias@belverapartners.com.