Dubai And Riyadh Poised To Capture Major Share Of 2 Dollar Trillion Sports Tourism Market By 2030

Published on October 20, 2025

As nan world sports tourism marketplace continues its upward trajectory, Dubai and Riyadh are emerging arsenic awesome players successful nan Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), aiming to pat into nan increasing $2 trillion marketplace by 2030. These 2 cities are already well-established sports tourism destinations, pinch extended investments successful infrastructure, events, and organization engagement. With tourism becoming a pivotal portion of nan region’s economy, sports tourism is expected to beryllium a cardinal driver of growth, boosting world visitors and creating caller opportunities for section tourism sectors.

The GCC, peculiarly Saudi Arabia and nan UAE, is positioning itself arsenic a leader successful nan booming sports tourism market. According to a study by PwC Middle East, sports tourism presently makes up 10% of nan world tourism spend, and it is increasing quickly astatine an yearly complaint of 17.5%. Both Dubai and Riyadh are capitalizing connected this trend, enhancing their tourism offerings pinch world-class sporting events and high-end facilities, making nan region an charismatic destination for sports fans worldwide.

Dubai, agelong known for its luxurious attractions, is making important strides successful enhancing its sports tourism appeal. The city’s infrastructure is cardinal to its sports tourism success. The Dubai Tennis Championships and Dubai World Cup, among different awesome events, tie thousands of visitors each year, generating important economical benefits for nan city. With nan summation of state-of-the-art stadiums, hotels, and leisure facilities, Dubai is shaping itself into a world sports tourism hub, encouraging visitors not only to be events but to widen their stays by enjoying nan city’s wide scope of attractions. Events successful Dubai besides support section businesses, contributing to nan city’s thriving tourism economy.

On nan different hand, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, is swiftly becoming an influential destination successful nan world sports tourism scene. The metropolis has made immense investments successful sports infrastructure, hosting important world events that pull some location and world tourists. A premier illustration of Riyadh’s increasing prominence is its domiciled arsenic a big for world sports events for illustration nan Formula E races and awesome shot tournaments. The Saudi government’s attraction connected sports has led to nan constitution of sports academies and nan maturation of section leagues, which helps pull visitors and further stimulate nan tourism economy.

Saudi Arabia’s nationalist strategy intends to diversify its economy, and sports tourism plays a pivotal domiciled successful this vision. The country’s extremity is to summation its sports marketplace from $8 cardinal to a projected $22.4 cardinal by 2030, and this maturation is expected to consequence successful much than 39,000 jobs and a $13.3 cardinal boost to nan country’s GDP. As nan federation invests successful world-class sports venues and hosts world sporting events, much visitors from astir nan world are being drawn to Saudi Arabia, making it an charismatic destination for sports enthusiasts.

In summation to nan awesome cities, nan GCC region is focused connected year-round sports tourism, offering divers experiences for visitors. With nan summertime power often limiting outdoor sports successful nan region, nan accent has been connected building robust indoor sports accommodation and hosting esports events. These modern approaches are drafting younger, tech-savvy audiences. For instance, Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup, which took spot successful Riyadh successful 2025, attracted millions of fans and featured thrilling competitions that enhanced nan country’s sports tourism appeal.

Moreover, tourism spending by sports enthusiasts is connected nan rise. Sports tourists typically walk an mean of $1,500 per trip, pinch immoderate able visitors attending prestigious events for illustration nan Formula 1 aliases world tennis tournaments. These events not only bring successful world fans but besides promote repetition visits. The Formula 1 Grand Prix successful Abu Dhabi is simply a cleanable illustration of this, arsenic it contributed to a 34% summation successful world spending and brought complete 133,000 visitors successful 2024. Such high-profile events importantly boost section businesses and nan broader tourism economy.

The early of sports tourism in nan GCC will beryllium built connected 3 cardinal pillars, arsenic outlined by PwC. First, nan attraction is connected designing experience-led sports destinations that harvester sporting events pinch leisure activities, retail, and taste experiences. This strategy ensures visitors bask a much holistic, extended stay. Second, enhancing fan engagement done digital innovation will let sports enthusiasts to interact pinch events successful caller and immersive ways, expanding excitement and participation. Finally, a unified attack crossed nan GCC, including easier recreation and interconnected trading efforts, will fortify nan region’s position arsenic a world sports tourism destination.

As nan region continues to put successful its sports tourism infrastructure and creates breathtaking caller opportunities, Dubai and Riyadh are group to lead nan complaint toward a prosperous early successful nan world tourism market. By creating diverse, high-quality experiences for sports tourists, some cities are reinforcing their positions arsenic apical world destinations for sports enthusiasts. This caller section successful nan GCC’s tourism travel holds awesome promise, bringing not only world nickname but besides sustainable maturation to nan region’s tourism and economy.

Dubai and Riyadh are not conscionable shaping nan early of sports tourism—they are mounting nan modular for really a destination tin successfully blend sport, culture, and tourism to create a move and charismatic situation for visitors. The maturation of sports tourism successful nan GCC will undoubtedly time off a lasting effect connected nan region, transforming it into a thriving halfway for world sports fans for years to come.