Introduction

While constituting supporting EU competences as defined in Article 6 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), both sport and tourism play an important role in the EU's economic and social development. The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO or UN Tourism) and later the European Commission have noted that both sectors have potential for growth, providing opportunities for self-fulfilment and new leisure experiences for individuals. Combining the two sectors can enhance their individual effects and benefits.

UN Tourism describes sports tourism as 'a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature'. Similarly, in its 2018 policy paper, the European Commission defines sports tourism as tourism in which the tourists' involvement in sports activities represents the essential motivational reason for travelling. It can be divided into two main subtypes: active and passive.

EU sports tourism policy

The Lisbon Treaty (TFEU), in which tourism was explicitly listed for the first time, provided the EU with the means to create a favourable environment for tourism and to promote cooperation between EU countries in this sector. Article 195 TFEU states that the EU 'shall complement the action of the Member States in the tourism sector, in particular by promoting the competitiveness of Union undertakings in that sector'. The EU plays a similar role with regard to sport. Article 165 TFEU forms the legal basis for EU sports policy, stating that the 'Union action shall be aimed at developing the European dimension in sport'.

Making EU tourism more competitive while also being mindful of sustainability is a main goal of EU tourism policy. To achieve this goal, various strategies have been drafted in recent years. Sport is regularly mentioned as an element of tourism strategies in the context of efforts to diversify the tourism offer.

In its 2010 communication entitled Europe, the world's No. 1 tourist destination – A new political framework for tourism in Europe, the Commission explores the potential for further tourism development. This includes capitalising on major cultural and sporting events to a greater extent, as well as adding value to themed European or multinational products, particularly at large-scale tourism fairs or exhibitions. The implementation rolling plan that followed this communication led to a series of actions aimed at enhancing the European tourism offer. The main deliverables of this action framework included co-funded projects, seminars and promotion and awareness-raising initiatives.

The European Parliament's resolution of 29 October 2015 on New challenges and concepts for the promotion of tourism in the EU notes how the Commission's action framework implementing the 2010 tourism communication 'stresses the potential of sports tourism, which could in the future become one of the most dynamic sectors in the developing European travel industry'. It points out how sporting activities increase the attractiveness of Europe's regions to tourists and 'highlights the opportunities arising from travel by athletes and spectators in the run-up to sports events and during those events, which can attract tourists to even the most remote areas'.

In its 2018 policy paper entitled 'Mapping smart specialisation strategies for sport, the Commission notes the role of smart specialisation strategies like sports tourism for regions within the Europe 2020 strategy (the EU's framework for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth). Sports tourism offers regions the potential to counter traditional tourism seasonality through sports events, thereby potentially increasing visitor number during low seasons and reducing the effect of overtourism during high seasons. In the same year, the European Commission established the SHARE (SportHub: Alliance for Regional Development in Europe) initiative, raising awareness of the importance of sports and physical activity for regional and local development. The initiative ran until 2023 and was followed by SHARE 2.0, which focuses on access to EU funding, health, innovation and sustainability in the area of sport.

In its resolution of 19 June 2020, Parliament highlights the role that sport plays in tourism, noting that sporting events can make Europe's regions more attractive to visitors. In a subsequent resolution of 25 March 2021 on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism, Parliament further emphasises the potential of sporting events, while also underlining the importance of improving the sustainability of major events.

In its 2022 EU agenda for tourism, the Council of the EU formulates the three main goals of the agenda as being: 1) increasing the resilience of EU tourism services and destinations while also making the sector both 2) greener and 3) more digital. A key measure to this end is support for the diversification of tourism services across seasons and locations. The transition pathways for tourism programme, launched in the same year, sets out the measures and outputs needed to accelerate the green and digital transitions and to improve the resilience of the tourism ecosystem. It emphasises the role of smart and sustainable strategies for tourism, noting that destinations should build on their specific strengths to create unique and authentic experiences for visitors. Both cross-border cooperation and smart specialisation strategies can play a role and can be particularly beneficial for outermost regions. Sport is one such specialisation strategy.

In its opinion of 9 February 2024 on building a values-based, bottom-up European sports model, the European Committee of the Regions stressed that the EU is an attractive destination for holding global events and competitions, as well as for developing innovative policies for sports-related tourism and mobility. This is due to the experience gained and a growing focus on the legacies that such events create, particularly in terms of improving the liveability of cities, stimulating economic growth, enhancing infrastructure and fostering community cohesion.

The ongoing revision of the EU's Package Travel Directive aims to strengthen consumer protection for when booking travel packages. This revision is expected to affect, inter alia, the booking of travel packages linked to major sporting events. Key changes include enhanced rights to cancel without penalty in unavoidable circumstances, improved insolvency protection to ensure that refunds are covered if tour operators go bankrupt, and new rules requiring explicit consent before accepting vouchers instead of refunds when events are postponed. The legislative process is currently in the interinstitutional negotiations stage, with trilogue negotiations now underway to reach a final compromise.

In its 2026 work programme, the Commission is building on its work from 2022 and has announced that it will propose a new non-legislative EU sustainable tourism strategy in early 2026. Key elements of the proposal, as explained by Commission representatives during a meeting of Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) on 5 November 2025, focus on the diversification of destinations through increased connectivity and more balanced tourism streams. At the Global Tourism Forum 2025 in Brussels, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas noted that the strategy aims to address unbalanced overtourism experienced by several popular destinations across the continent and promote sustainable growth. In parallel, Parliament is working on its own-initiative report entitled 'Enhancing connectivity, preserving cultural heritage and driving local excellence in European tourism', which also focuses on increased connectivity and the empowerment of destinations for balanced growth. The draft report highlights sport as a form of specialised tourism that creates opportunities for peripheral regions.

Benefits for human health and well-being

In 2015, the UN established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through which countries worldwide collectively pledged to eradicate poverty, pursue sustainable and inclusive development, ensure the protection of human rights for all, and ensure that no one is left behind by 2030. The EU made a positive and constructive contribution to the development of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Within this framework, physical activity supports SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages. The EU is committed to implementing the SDGs, including SDG 3.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. This echoes the Council's 2013 recommendation on promoting health-enhancing physical activity across sectors.

Engaging in physical activity can have positive health impacts on individuals. In its 2019 report on Walking Tourism – Promoting Regional Development, the UNWTO notes that sports tourism 'enhances physical and mental well-being of participants'. Likewise, the EU's SHARE initiative, in its 2023 report, emphasises how active tourism can 'promote healthier lifestyles and a healthier environment'. As with other sport-related activities, active sports tourism can have physical health benefits for participants such as improved cardiovascular fitness, weight management and disease prevention. Both active and passive forms of sports tourism may also help reduce stress by promoting social connection and achievement.

Motivation for physical activity can be increased through travel, as destination experiences enhance participation in sports. According to the SHARE initiative's 2023 report, the combination of nature experiences with outdoor sports can support the successful development of active tourism. National Geographic has noted how the 'seductive symbiosis' of combining watching one's favourite team or running a marathon and visiting a naturally beautiful destination creates a convincing motivation for travel.

According to the UNWTO (2021), consumer preferences during the pandemic shifted towards nature, rural tourism and road trips, as travellers preferred outdoor experiences away from crowds due to pandemic limitations. In this context, experiences addressing 'sustainability, authenticity and localhood' started gaining popularity, and rural tourism and nature-based experiences became more popular.

A 2021 Eurobarometer survey on Europeans' attitudes towards tourism showed that 82 % of EU citizens are prepared to change some habits to support more sustainable tourism. Active rural sports tourism can address these new customer demands for a more sustainable nature-based way of traveling.

Economic and social benefits for host destinations

Challenges and considerations

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the tourism sector, first by pushing it into survival mode and then triggering a rebound. For instance, according to Eurostat (2022) data, trip numbers and tourism nights dropped sharply as a consequence of lockdowns, leading to staff lay-offs and business closures in the tourism sector. However, by 2023 they had largely recovered to pre-pandemic values.

Tourism can have a number of adverse environmental and socioeconomic effects. Global tourism, in particular, has an increasing environmental impact and is estimated to be responsible for around 8 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Additional impacts related to land use and transport include changes in landscapes and biodiversity. In the long run, sustainable tourism needs to address the modes of transport visitors use to reach their destinations and the effects of the supply chains and infrastructure needed for tourist consumption.

Large-scale events in particular – including sporting events – can cause 'opportunity costs, displacement and disruption' to local communities. If not carefully managed, overcrowding and overtourism can pose significant challenges to local inhabitants. It is therefore important to find ways to balance community needs with tourist demands. The above-mentioned OECD 2024 report highlights the importance of the active involvement and inclusion of local stakeholders in the design and management of events. In a 2019 publication on Sport Tourism and the SDGs, the UNWTO notes that accessibility requirements and the needs and interests of the local community must constantly be taken into account. In an article from 2013, British academic and expert in events, tourism and urban policy Andrew Smith stresses the role of strategic leveraging to provide benefits to the local community and to increase or temporally extend the positive effects of events for a destination. Large-scale events can be accompanied by smaller-scale local initiatives, thereby distributing the benefits of high visitor numbers and visibility across the wider community. Similarly, in its conclusions from November 2024, the Council states that major sporting events can contribute to the development of hosting countries, regions and cities, although they may also require significant investment.

Research shows that the negative impacts and costs of public investments in mega-events sometimes outweigh the benefits. Especially when local taxpayers are paying for event-related costs, critics argue that hosting a mega-event is often not the best use of public funds. For example, Montreal's hosting of the 1976 Olympic Games caused significant debt for the city, as did Athens's 2004 Olympic Games.

Lesser-known destinations face various practical challenges. Sports tourism can function as a tool to increase visitor numbers, but enhancing visibility can be difficult and requires sustained marketing and a long-term strategy. Outdoor activities, in particular, depend heavily on weather conditions, making sports tourism not always a practical way to increase visitor numbers during low seasons.

EU funding for sports tourism

The EU's current multiannual financial framework (MFF) covering the 2021-2027 period includes a number of programmes providing funding for both sport and tourism through various mechanisms.

For sport, a specific chapter in Erasmus+ is the main EU funding mechanism supporting sports encounters, education and training. Recent projects include Cycling for sustainability and the GreenPlay: Empowering communities with sustainable sports tourism initiatives. The European Education and Culture Executive Agency, tasked with managing and implementing EU-funded sports actions under Erasmus+, also manages several pilot projects and preparatory actions on sport. Currently, none of the active projects address sports tourism, but the instrument might provide funding for this sector in the future. Further related initiatives, such as the European Week of Sport, the EU Sport Forum, the #BeActive EU Sport Awards and the SHARE 2.0 Initiative, are sponsored by the Commission's Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture to connect stakeholders and provide opportunities for citizens to get involved.

Further funding is available for tourism and regional infrastructure related to sport as a physical activity, as sport can also help promote other economic and social objectives. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) enables investment to strengthen the environmental and socioeconomic sustainability and resilience of tourism in the long term, including through rural development programmes. INTERREG, an international cooperation programme for regional development policies, is also financed through the ERDF and co-funds cross-border initiatives. Examples include the transnational cycling routes EuroVelo and DEPART (Support the DEveloPment of a sustAinable spoRts Tourism in Europe), a project investigating and sharing good practices regarding sports tourism. Furthermore, rural regions can fund local development measures including sports and tourism infrastructure through the LEADER approach implemented under national and regional rural development programmes of EU Member States and co-financed from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

Work on the EU's new MFF 2028-2034 was ongoing at the time when this briefing was being written. In the current Commission proposal, regional development funds and therefore most of the funding for tourism will be part of the national and regional partnership plans. If the proposal is adopted, the amount of funding for the sector would then depend more strongly on national priorities.

Conclusion

Sports tourism offers EU regions the possibility to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth, all while promoting health and well-being among citizens. This sector already generates substantial economic value, creating diverse employment opportunities, and could contribute to developing a competitive and balanced EU tourism sector in the future.

Beyond economic benefits, sports tourism offers practical solutions to challenges faced by tourism in the EU. It can help counter seasonal fluctuations by attracting visitors during off-peak periods, alleviate overcrowding, redistribute tourist flows to less-visited rural areas and support sustainable development through outdoor activities that promote environmental awareness and soft mobility. For rural areas, which cover over 80 % of the EU territory, as well as for outermost regions that are highly dependent on tourism income, sports tourism provides opportunities for economic diversification and infrastructure development. However, realising this potential requires management and strategic planning.

Large-scale sporting events, while offering visibility and urban regeneration opportunities, can also create issues such as overcrowding, displacement and significant financial burdens. Small- and medium-scale events, in contrast, tend to generate stronger local engagement and pride with fewer negative impacts, but they may lack visibility and require marketing to attract participants. The success of any small- or large-scale initiative depends on the meaningful involvement of local stakeholders, accessibility considerations and long-term strategies that balance tourist demands with community needs.

The EU provides a framework supporting sports and tourism policies through programmes like Erasmus+, ERDF and INTERREG, while initiatives like SHARE 2.0 facilitate knowledge-sharing among stakeholders. The ongoing revision of the Package Travel Directive seeks to further strengthen consumer protection for sports tourists, particularly regarding cancellations and insolvency. Looking ahead, the Commission's planned 2026 sustainable tourism strategy and continued investment in cross-border cooperation could potentially further develop sports tourism as a tool for achieving the EU's economic, social and environmental objectives while ensuring benefits are distributed equitably across communities.