Hyatt survey reveals holiday booking...

Almost half of UAE travellers would build a trip around a sporting event

Sport is proving a winner for UAE travellers, and hotels should adapt their offering to cater to these fans, with 45% saying they would plan entire holidays around sporting events.

That’s according to a Hyatt survey that shows tourists are planning to take part in 12 activities and attend seven events on average in the next year.

“We are increasingly seeing more travellers with a passion for building their holidays around watching live sporting events,” said Stephen Ansell, Managing Director Middle East and Africa at Hyatt.

This comes as the just-released ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 highlights sports tourism as one of the driving forces in Middle East tourism spend, rising 50% by 2030 to reach US$350 billion.

According to Hyatt’s survey of 2,100 UAE residents in March 2025, more than half (52%) say they prefer hotels close to sport venues and 30% are inspired to stay in properties frequented by their favourite teams or athletes.

So passionate are many travellers about sport, that almost one-third (30%) said they would travel thousands of miles for major events, and 27% would pay a premium for hotels that enhance that experience, such as providing onsite activities or access to fan zones.

Football fans travel the most (52%) but cricket (29%), cycling (28%), swimming (27%) and even bodybuilding (21%) score highly.

Accor’s Novotel Hotels has already tapped this trend, recently unveiling La Suite Novotel by ALL.com, an exclusive permanent hotel room within the legendary Parc des Princes stadium, home of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football club. The room comes with butler service and a private terrace overlooking the pitch.

While Radisson has plans for a 401-room hotel at the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City football club due to open in the UK’s northern city in 2026. The Medlock hotel will be connected to the stadium and provide accommodation and experiences tailored to fans.

Experiences at Manchester City FC

Demand for sport and wellness offerings
Hyatt also recognises that guests are increasingly incorporating sport and wellness into their stays, with two in five UAE residents saying they love travelling specifically to take part in competitive sports.

Events such as Challenge Sir Bani Yas Island, the region's first long-distance triathlon, attracted 3,000 athletes from more than 70 countries to Abu Dhabi’s eco-tourism island over a long weekend in April 2025.

Maintaining fitness routines and spending active time with family and friends are key factors for hotel guests too, with 40% of UAE travellers wanting to keep up exercise habits when they travel.

That same mindset is also influencing how people approach business travel, with nearly half (42%) saying that being able to take part in sport during a work trip is a big incentive, and 40% trying to combine sport with their business schedules.

Properties that provide fitness-forward amenities, whether in-room or in-gym, alongside wellness offerings and active experiences such as cycling or kayaking are likely to win, and the region is already seeing a roll-out of wellness- and fitness-centric hotels, with Siro, the world’s first urban fitness hotel resort open in Dubai and Amaala, a dedicated wellness destination, set to open on Saudi’s Red Sea coast this year.

Grand Hyatt The Red Sea on Shura Island

Hyatt is opening a number of properties on Saudi's Red Sea with a focus around sport and wellness, including the 430-room Grand Hyatt The Red Sea on Shura Island, where guests can enjoy golf on the 18-hole championship golf course Shura Links, and the Hyatt Miraval The Red Sea, a resort complete with walking trails and wellness programmes that focus on Middle East traditions, as well as destination-inspired experiences, from mindfulness workshops to high-rope challenges.

For more information, visit www.hyatt.com

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