Sports events fuel £2.2bn. in UK spending from April to October

Travel Daily News

20-05-2025

An exclusive report by The Data Appeal Company reveals that between April and October, sports events in the UK generated over £2.2 billion in spending, spanning more than 3,200 events and attracting nearly 25.6 million attendees. Far from being just spectacles, these events are economic powerhouses that energise tourism, reshape mobility, and impact entire regions.
FLORENCE – The Data Appeal Company – Almawave Group, a leader in tourism data analysis, has unveiled a comprehensive report that explores the broader impact of major UK sporting events on local economies, tourism, and spending. The report 'Wimbledon and Beyond: A Data Snapshot of UK Sports Events and Their Impact', offers a deep dive into how iconic events like Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix, and the London Marathon drive visitor spending, accommodation trends, and overall economic growth across the UK.
The UK's reputation as a global sports hub is undeniable, but the financial impact of its sporting events is equally significant. With the sports events sector alone contributing almost £9.753 billion to the UK economy in 2024 according to UK Events Report, Data Appeal's study uncovers the effects of these events on local economies through various lenses, including visitor spending, accommodation trends and sentiment and popularity.
'These events offer cities a unique opportunity to drive short-term revenue and long-term visibility,' says Mirko Lalli, CEO & Founder of Data Appeal. 'But capturing that value requires understanding not just attendance, but how people travel, spend, and experience the destination. For destinations and organisers, the insight is strategic: curating the right mix of events—those that attract high-value audiences or generate broad public engagement – can be far more effective than simply aiming for crowd numbers.'
Top events in the UK: Festivals vs. Sports Events
Data reveals a clear distinction between festivals and sports events in terms of attendance and economic impact. While festivals like the Notting Hill Carnival and Pride in London draw hugeΘνιτεδ κινγδομs crowds, sports events such as Wimbledon and the British Grand Prix generate significantly higher spending per visitor:
Wimbledon is predicted to generate over £224 million from 526,000 attendees, with significant contributions from hospitality services.
The British Grand Prix also leads in total spending, with £188 million forecasted.
The Gemini Boat Race ranks as a high-spend event, despite lower attendance, due to its exclusive audience.
Top-Spender sports events and their economic impact
Between April and October 2025, Wimbledon leads UK sports events in predicted spending with £224.8M, followed by the British Grand Prix (£188.6M) and the Gemini Boat Race (£175.2M)—the latter notable for its high per capita spend despite a smaller crowd. The Open Championship (£82.1M in hospitality) and the TCS London Marathon (£60M in F&B) round out the top five, with the marathon drawing the largest attendance (800,000) and broader city-wide impact. Overall, elite events drive higher per-person spend, while mass events boost urban tourism and public engagement.
Flight data and regional impact
Despite a slight drop in arrivals the week before Wimbledon, the event still saw a net increase of over 3 million travellers compared to the same period in 2024, highlighting its strong global appeal and the behaviour of high-spending, late-booking audiences. Similarly, the British Grand Prix is expected to triple arrivals into Birmingham on July 4, boosted by overlapping U.S. holiday travel. Events in remote areas like Derry also show sharp international spikes when backed by the right infrastructure and visibility. In contrast, events like the Gemini Boat Race and London Marathon show limited air travel impact, likely due to their local reach and reliance on domestic ground transport – still valuable for regional planning and mobility strategies.
Accommodation trends: Understanding OTA saturation
Accommodation data shows key contrasts in booking behaviour and pricing around major events: for instance, by March 2025, OTA saturation for Wimbledon was already high, yet rates remained unexpectedly low – likely due to high-spending travellers booking via private channels, corporate packages, or exclusive clubs. This suggests that traditional OTA data may underestimate true economic impact. Events like The Open Championship boost OTA rates and saturation even in remote areas, benefiting surrounding towns if infrastructure and marketing align. In contrast, the London Marathon contributes to a steady seasonal uplift in rates, offering cities the chance to build loyalty around predictable demand. Lack of OTA data for events like the British Grand Prix or Gemini Boat Race may signal blind spots in regional markets, underlining the need for broader data partnerships.
Sentiment and public perception: A mixed bag
The area of Wimbledon saw a notable sentiment increase from 85 to 92, reflecting its strong emotional and reputational impact driven by world-class competition, tradition, and premium experiences – positioning it as a cultural highlight of the UK summer.
In contrast, events like the London Marathon, Boat Race, and British Grand Prix showed no measurable sentiment uplift, which, while less headline-grabbing, still represents a success given the operational pressures high-traffic events can bring. These results underline that positive sentiment hinges not just on attendance, but on curated experiences and effective infrastructure, highlighting the need to balance crowd appeal with community well-being and event quality.
In conclusion, the data underscores how top-tier sporting events are not only cultural milestones but also powerful economic engines, driving multimillion-pound impacts across travel, accommodation, and hospitality sectors. By combining granular insights – from flight patterns to booking behaviours and sentiment trends – the report offers destination managers, event organisers, and tourism boards a clear roadmap to maximise both revenue and resident satisfaction. With strategic planning and data-led decisions, cities can turn peak moments into long-term value.