Sometimes a sporting event does more than fill stadiums. It can put a city or region on the travel map and attract visitors who might never have gone there otherwise.
1. Calgary — 1988 Winter Olympics
Before the Games, 27% of international spectators had never even heard of Calgary.
More than 150,000 people arrived during the Olympic month, and almost 40% of spectators were visiting the city for the first time. The Games helped turn Calgary into a much better-known international destination.
2. Las Vegas — Formula 1
The Las Vegas Grand Prix turned an existing entertainment destination into a major international motorsport attraction.
The inaugural race drew more than 316,000 fans and 145,000 unique visitors. Its first year generated nearly $1.5 billion in economic impact for Southern Nevada.
3. Paris — 2024 Olympics
The Paris Olympics brought nearly 3 million tourists to the Île-de-France region during the Games.
International visitors increased 10.3% compared with the same period a year earlier, giving the world’s most visited city another enormous global spotlight.
4. Zandvoort — Dutch Grand Prix
Formula 1 helped transform the small Dutch seaside town of Zandvoort into a huge international sporting destination after the Dutch Grand Prix returned in 2021.
The race attracted enormous crowds, particularly fans following Dutch driver Max Verstappen, and organizers estimated nearly two million visitors across its return period.
5. South Africa — 2010 World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup gave international visitors a reason to travel across South Africa rather than simply visit its traditional tourist destinations.
The tournament connected major cities through football while showcasing the country’s landscapes, culture, and infrastructure to a massive worldwide audience.
6. Northern Italy — 2026 Winter Olympics
The Milano-Cortina Games used venues spread across northern Italy rather than concentrating everything in one city.
Tourism Economics projected international arrivals to Italy would reach 66.7 million in 2026, with Milan growing even faster than the national average.