Millennials are driving a sports tourism boom — spending big to do it
Vince Nguyen, a 39-year-old entrepreneur living in Vietnam, spends several hundred dollars almost every month traveling to other countries to play pickleball.
What started as a pastime after he injured himself playing American football has since become central to his lifestyle; He plays the sport for two to four hours almost every day.
Since taking up the sport two years ago, Nguyen has played in Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Canada in his spare time. He plans to travel to China for an upcoming tournament next month.
He says he pays several hundred dollars for round-trip flights to Taiwan or Malaysia for tournaments and fun with friends. He also pays court fees, which range from $4 to $8 for open play, and about $38 per night for hotels. In total, the cost of the trips ranges from $386 to $772.
But he spends almost $1,000 traveling to Canada, where flights and indoor courts are more expensive than in Asia.
“I like to spend a week playing a few times, visiting different courts, going to different restaurants,” he said.
Vince Nguyen (top right) at a pickleball tournament in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Source: Vince Nguyen
Nguyen believes traveling to play pickleball will make a difference because “every country has a slightly different style of play,” and he’s not alone. He is one of the millennials fueling sports tourism, a rising trend in travel.
Accordingly Hilton’s 2026 Trend ReportIn the research where more than 14,000 travelers from 14 countries were surveyed, 67% of millennials have planned a trip for events related to their interests, including sports, wellness and concerts.
Only in the USA Millennials are 80% more likely to plan a vacation for tennis and 87% more likely to plan a vacation for pickleball. Survey by online travel agency Priceline About the travel trends of 2025.
There is no sign that sports tourism will slow down either. The sports tourism industry is already $707.29 billion market It is expected to nearly triple by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights.
Europe led the market last year with a valuation of $248.23 billion. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific was the fastest growing region, expected to be worth $149.50 billion by 2025.
Sports tourism in Asia-Pacific is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 17.85% from 2025 to 2032.
“It’s good for your soul”
Nirbhay Handa, a 35-year-old millennial living in Singapore, also travels abroad for tennis.
“I’m going to a tennis camp in Phuket… When I go to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, I have a tennis coach that I go and play with in the evenings after work,” he said. “I think it makes me better at my job because I’m in a better mood. I don’t get angry,” the entrepreneur said.
He takes about six tennis trips a year, including business ones, and spends about $200 a week on sessions in Dubai.
Handa said that sports is much more than a hobby for him.. “It’s been very therapeutic and taught me some good habits… not smoking until late on Friday… quitting social smoking altogether,” he added.
He makes it a point to play tennis when he is abroad for vacation or business.
Tennis, which he thinks is “good for your soul”, helps him both relax and add color to his social life.
“It does a fraction of what going to a bar would do for a lot of people, which is meet people, meet your friends over a drink,” he said, but “I feel like I can do that on the tennis court.”
Achieve personal goals
Mike Goldys, who lives in Florida, travels overseas to surf with the goal of playing at as many different surf parks as possible. The 39-year-old actor has logged 140 hours in 26 cities in 10 countries so far.
“Every surf park…is so unique to me. I…can’t get enough of it,” he said. “I want to keep checking in with them and see what it’s like in this situation.”
“I rarely go to the same wave pool twice,” he added.
He said Goldys spent $18,500 on surf sessions alone, budgeting between $6,000 and $10,000 per trip, depending on flights and accommodation. He also allocates money for photo and video shooting to share on social platforms.
Mike Goldys surfs at Atlantic Park Surf in Virginia Beach, USA.
Source: Andrew Tonra
As a social media strategist for a nonprofit, she takes one to two weeks off for surf trips; only handles emergency matters.
“When you pay to surf in a wave pool, the waves are guaranteed to be really strong and in good shape… a way to speed up progress,” he said. “[It’s] Very fast for someone who doesn’t always have perfect waves near his home in Florida.
At $170 an hour, surf parks aren’t cheap. But Goldys insists they’ll be worth it.
“As long as it doesn’t put you in a bad financial situation later,” he said.
