Sports rules global travel motivations

Exchange rates and geopolitical shifts may influence travel choices but, in 2025, it’s passion and purpose that are driving global journeys. Major sporting events, for one, are pulling travellers across borders as fans chase unforgettable experiences.

This is revealed in Travel Trends 2025, a new report from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) that offers distinctive and proprietary insights into global consumer spending patterns. The findings draw on an analysis of aggregated and anonymised transaction data, along with third-party sources, to uncover the factors shaping travel choices.

Sports fandom fuels travel 

MEI examined spending around three major sporting events, proving them as powerful catalysts for travel:  

• Champions League Final in London: Real Madrid’s victory over Borussia Dortmund led to a 61% year over year (YoY) increase in German spending, outpacing the overall increase of 14%. Spanish spending spiked by 148% YoY, suggesting fans celebrated by splurging. 
• Baseball World Series in Los Angeles: Shohei Ohtani’s World Series debut saw spending by Japanese visitors surge by 91%, six times the cross-border boost.  
• Copa Libertadores Final in Buenos Aires: The rise in spending from Brazilian tourists, where both teams hailed, was more than twice the increase from all foreign countries. 

Purpose-drive travel for wellness, adventure, and foodie experiences  

The Wellness Travel Index (WTI), developed by MEI to highlight destinations leading the way for wellness experiences and self-care, has Namibia, South Africa, and Thailand topping the list with offerings like eco lodges and meditation retreats. The rising WTI score for Italy, New Zealand and Canada suggests a growing effort to meet this popular trend. 

For adventurers, MEI analysed how commerce at major national parks is contributing to overall tourist expenditures. Established wilderness giants, South Africa and Zambia, show the highest national park spending as a share of total cross-border, 23.3% and 15.5% in 2024, respectively. In close third, travellers are heading to the Nordics, where Finland’s national parks account for 7.1% of total cross-border spending.

The number of nationalities seeking local cuisine provides insight into destinations appealing to the foodie-traveller. MEI found that Istanbul’s restaurants hosted tourists from 67 countries in 2024, the highest among 43 cities measured. Cannes, Interlaken, Gianyar, and Barcelona follow in the top five. 

Currency can impact travel, but it varies regionally 

In 2024, currency depreciation drove visitors in search of value to Japan, where a 1% JPY depreciation against the RMB led to a 1.5% increase in Chinese Mainland tourists. However, visitors from New Zealand and the United States (US) rose only around 0.2% in response to the same degree of depreciation relative to their currencies. 

Corporate travel is less frequent, but trips are longer 

According to MEI, US and United Kingdom (UK) corporate flight bookings show the average business trip now lasts longer than before the pandemic. For US-based travellers, trips to the Asia-Pacific region increased from 8.8 days to 10.2 days and trips to Europe grew from 7.4 to 8.1 days. This trend applies to UK corporate travellers too, except for trips to Canada and the US, which shortened between 2020 and 2025. 

Trending summer spots for 2025 

Asia-Pacific commands the list of trending spots this summer for global travellers, with eight destinations in the top 15. Tokyo and Osaka lead with the largest increases in travel bookings for June-September 2025 compared to last year. For American and Canadian travellers, Tokyo retains the top spot too, but beach destinations like San Juan, Kahului, Punta Cana, Tulum and Montego Bay are gaining popularity. Tirana, Albania gained the largest increase in European visitors – led by tourists from Italy – of any city in 2024. 

“Global travel motivations go beyond economics,” says Michelle Meyer, chief economist of MEI. “When making the decision to travel, consumers are often seeking purpose and authenticity, along with value. Understanding these motivations is key to navigate the travel sector in 2025, especially during times of economic and policy uncertainty.” 

Mastercard aims to protect travellers

According to the MEI, fraud in popular tourist destinations can surge by up to 28% during peak seasons. To address this, Mastercard uses advanced fraud prevention technologies, including digital wallets and AI-driven systems, to safeguard travellers against scams.

The aim is to allow travellers to focus on their journeys without concerns about security threats. Mastercard says its commitment to supporting the global tourism sector through a range of services, including market analysis, high-frequency data insights that shed light on evolving consumer trends, and customer engagement strategies designed to personalise travel experiences and foster brand loyalty.

* Read the ‘Travel Trends 2025’ report here.