The USD 3 Trillion Opportunity: Priority Pass Reveals How Sports and Wellness Travel Is Redefining Payment Cardholder Expectations

In an era of economic uncertainty, consumers are seeking more meaningful, life-changing experiences - and financial services brands are ideally placed to provide. 79% of global respondents with travel perks chose their payment card because of their sports and wellness travel interests.

Over a third (35%) of global respondents with travel benefits are more likely to consider other products from the same issuing bank, compared to 19% of those without. SINGAPORE, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Priority Pass, the world's original and leading airport experiences programme, has released the findings of its new report 'From Stadiums to Spas: Unlocking the Explosive Growth of Sports and Wellness Travel'.

Sports tourism is projected to reach over USD 2tn by 2032[1], and wellness tourism more than USD 910bn by 2030.[2] Surveying over 12,000 travellers across 20 markets, including seven in Asia Pacific (APAC), Priority Pass' latest global research report reveals how sports and wellness are inspiring the next wave of travel, and in turn, experience-led journeys.

The report uncovers a developing trend in traveller behaviour: sports and wellness enthusiasts are designing their itineraries around major sporting events or wellness retreats, from live football matches to digital detoxes in nature. Globally, of those who travel for sports and wellness, nearly half (47%) did so for wellness, 20% for sports, and a third (33%) travel for both.

Across APAC, 46% of younger travellers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, actively seek new experiences such as global sporting events while travelling, above the global average of 42%. Furthermore, this group is using sports travel as a jumping-off point for new experiences, with nearly half (49%) motivated to explore new cities as part of the same trip.

When it comes to wellness travel, APAC travellers are looking to unwind. Their top travel motivators include relaxing, recharging, and disconnecting from daily stress (61%), followed by improving mental (52%) and physical (39%) wellbeing. Additionally, almost a third (32%) of younger travellers from the region report booking wellness trips to 'digitally detox'.

Cardholder Behaviour: Perks Drive Card Selection, Spend, and Loyalty For financial institutions, the message is clear: meaningful travel benefits drive engagement, spend and loyalty. Globally, 56% of sports and wellness travellers receive travel-related benefits through their most-used payment card, with nearly four in five (79%) influenced to acquire their card due to their sports and wellness travel interests.

In APAC, this rises to 64% and 83% respectively. Among those who don't currently have such perks, 70% within APAC expressed a desire for a card that would enhance their sporting and wellness travel pursuits. These benefits don't just influence card selection; they drive usage, too.

Globally, 46% of cardholders with travel benefits say it encourages them to use their card more frequently for general spending, compared to just 29% of those without. The impact on loyalty is equally significant; in APAC, over half (56%) of cardholders with travel benefits on their payment card feel valued, while over a third (39%) report feeling loyal to their card provider.

Additionally, more than a third (37%) of cardholders in APAC with travel benefits are more likely to consider other products from the same issuer, highlighting the long-term commercial value. In an era of economic uncertainty, consumers are seeking more meaningful, life-changing experiences that they would not otherwise have access to.