Sports finals in packed stadiums. Silent yoga retreats in the mountains. Thermal spas instead of city breaks. A new report from Priority Pass, part of Collinson International, confirms what many travellers already feel instinctively: sports and wellness travel is no longer niche. It is reshaping how people plan trips and, increasingly, how they choose their payment cards.

According to the newly released report From Stadiums to Spas: Unlocking the Explosive Growth of Sports and Wellness Travel, sports tourism is expected to surpass two trillion USD globally by 2032, while wellness tourism is projected to exceed ten billion USD by 2030. These are not fringe trends. They are becoming core pillars of modern travel.

Travel Built Around Passions, Not Destinations

Based on research involving more than 12,000 travellers across 20 markets, the report highlights a clear behavioural shift. Travellers are no longer starting with a destination and filling in activities later. Instead, passions come first.

Sports and wellness enthusiasts are now designing entire itineraries around key experiences, whether that means flying across borders for a live football match or booking remote nature stays designed specifically for digital detox and recovery.

Globally, nearly half of sports and wellness travellers (47%) travel primarily for wellness, while 20% do so for sport. A significant 33% combine both, blending stadium visits with spa days or recovery-focused travel.

In the UK, motivation runs even deeper. Over half of sports travellers (53%) say their passion for a specific sport or team drives their travel decisions, while 52% cite the thrill of live events as the key draw.

Younger Travellers Are Redefining Sports Travel

Millennials and Gen Z are pushing this evolution further. Nearly half of younger travellers globally (49%) say sports travel is a gateway to discovering new cities and cultures during the same trip.

In other words, attending a match or tournament is no longer the entire trip. It is the anchor around which broader exploration is built. This shift matters because it increases trip duration, spending, and demand for seamless airport and in-destination experiences.

For brands operating in travel, payments, and connectivity, this signals an important reality. These travellers are not just buying tickets. They are buying experiences, convenience, and peace of mind.

Wellness Travel Is About Switching Off Properly

If sports travel is about energy and excitement, wellness travel is about disconnection.

More than a third (35%) of global wellness travellers say their primary motivation is to digitally detox. In the UK, wellness travel motivations are even more emotionally driven. Around 53% travel to relax, recharge, and disconnect, while the same proportion cite mental health or emotional healing as a core reason.

Beyond these motivations, wellness travellers are prioritising:

What wellness travellers actually want

• 45% prioritise time in nature or wilderness
• 42% take part in meditation or mindfulness sessions
• 41% seek spa treatments, massages, or thermal therapy

This has clear implications for travel products and services. Connectivity still matters, but control over connectivity matters more. Travellers want the option to unplug without friction when they choose to.

Payment Cards Are Becoming Experience Gateways

One of the most commercially significant findings in the report is how strongly travel perks influence payment card behaviour.

Globally, 56% of sports and wellness travellers already receive travel-related benefits through their most-used payment card. Among them, nearly four in five (79%) say their sports and wellness travel interests influenced their decision to acquire that card in the first place.

Even more telling is unmet demand. Among travellers without such perks, 71% say they want a card that actively enhances their sports and wellness travel experiences.

These benefits do more than attract customers. They change how cards are used. Almost half (46%) of cardholders with travel benefits say it encourages more frequent use of their card for everyday spending. Among those without benefits, that figure drops to 29%.

Sports finals. Wellness retreats. Airport lounges.

They’re no longer just travel add-ons. They’re now shaping how people choose their payment cards.

New data from Priority Pass and Collinson shows that 79% of travellers with sports and wellness travel perks chose their payment card because of those benefits. Not cashback. Not APR. Experiences.

What’s really interesting is the behavioural shift behind this.

Travellers are no longer planning trips around destinations first. They’re planning around passions. A football match becomes the anchor for a city break. A wellness retreat becomes the reason to travel at all.

And when the airport experience is stressful, long queues, rushed connections, premium perks suddenly stop being “nice to have” and start feeling essential.

The result?

Travel benefits don’t just attract customers. They increase usage, strengthen loyalty, and drive long-term value for card issuers.

This is the same pattern we’re seeing across travel tech, fintech, and even connectivity. Access beats ownership. Experiences beat discounts. Emotional value beats transactional rewards.

The takeaway for brands is simple but uncomfortable:

If your product doesn’t make travel meaningfully better, someone else’s will.

Loyalty Is Built in the Airport

In the UK, the loyalty impact is particularly stark. Over half (56%) of cardholders with travel benefits say they feel valued by their provider, while 37% report genuine loyalty. Among those without benefits, only 33% feel valued and just 27% feel loyal.

There is also a strong cross-sell effect. More than a third (35%) of UK cardholders with travel benefits are more likely to consider other products from the same issuer, compared to only 17% among those without perks.

This matters because airport stress remains a persistent pain point. Nearly half (44%) of UK travellers struggle with long queues, and 39% describe airport experiences as rushed or stressful. When premium benefits are present, the difference is tangible. Around 45% of UK travellers with airport lounge access say it significantly improves their overall travel experience.

“Cardholders today are looking to brands for access to rewarding experiences that enrich their lives and reflect their true passions,”

said Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International.

“Our report highlights how brands have a unique opportunity to support their customers’ thirst for meaningful experiences – whether that’s wellness retreats, exclusive sports events, or premium lounge access – often opening doors to opportunities they may not otherwise have.

“These very memorable experiences, create a more emotional connection that delivers lasting value and greater loyalty. Brands that empower their customers to pursue their passions and travel interests are best placed to build genuine, long-term relationships in this new, experience-driven era.”

Conclusion: Why This Matters Beyond Priority Pass

What stands out in this research is not just the scale of sports and wellness travel, but how clearly it connects travel behaviour, payments, and emotional loyalty.

Other players in the market are moving in the same direction. American Express continues to bundle lounge access, wellness credits, and event presales into its premium cards. Visa and Mastercard are investing heavily in experience-led benefits rather than pure cashback. Even digital banks are experimenting with lifestyle-driven perks instead of traditional financial incentives.

Independent research from sources like McKinsey and Skift supports this shift, consistently showing that experiential benefits outperform monetary rewards in driving long-term customer engagement. Deloitte has also highlighted that younger consumers, in particular, value access and flexibility over ownership.

For travellers, this means payment cards are quietly becoming travel companions. For issuers, the message is simple but urgent. Benefits that remove friction, reduce stress, and support personal passions are no longer optional extras. They are table stakes in a market where loyalty is earned experience by experience.

In a world where travellers plan trips around stadiums and spas, the brands that win will be the ones that meet them there.