England is poised to anchor a pan-European surge in football-led tourism, joining a cluster of nations that have increasingly turned stadiums, clubs and matchdays into year-round growth engines for travel. A new leading report argues that England will sit alongside Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Poland and Turkey in driving higher visitor numbers as football culture becomes a trusted magnet for international guests. The broader European picture is reinforced by industry analysis of Euro 2024 in Germany, which suggests a substantial short-term tourism windfall even as the effects are treated as temporary by researchers. According to Politico, drawing on the Ifo Institute, the tournament could deliver around €1 billion in foreign tourism receipts and lift quarterly GDP by a small but noticeable margin in the second quarter, with more than 600,000 additional foreign visitors and about 1.5 million extra overnight stays expected across host cities. The study underscores football’s capacity to ripple through hospitality, transport and services, even as the longer-term outcome remains uncertain depending on spectator turnout and post-event demand.

Beyond headline totals, the UK’s own football tourism framework demonstrates how fans become multi-regional travellers. VisitBritain’s research highlights football as a major inbound driver, noting that approximately 1.5 million international visitors attended a live football match in the UK in 2019, with football tourists tending to spend more on average than other visitors. The pattern of fan travel typically spans multiple regions, taking in iconic venues such as Old Trafford, Anfield, Wembley and the Emirates, as well as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and contributing to local economies as they explore museums, tours and matchdays across the country. In Spain, the stadium experience is similarly treated as a tourism product in its own right. The World Travel Awards recognised Barça Immersive Tour as Spain’s leading football stadium tourism experience in 2023, with Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Tour and other venues highlighted as notable contenders, illustrating how stadium tours, museums and behind‑the‑scenes access are now central to visitor offerings in top football markets.

Germany’s Euro 2024 boom provides a concrete example of the potential and the caveats of football tourism. A Reuters summary of the Ifo Institute’s forecast indicates that foreign visitors arriving for matches could number more than 600,000, with around 1.5 million extra overnight stays across ten host cities, translating to close to €1 billion in foreign tourism receipts and a modest boost to GDP in the quarter. However, the analysis stresses the boost is temporary, and the longer-term impact depends on turnout, traffic and post‑tournament demand. Italy’s football heritage is likewise being leveraged as a year‑round draw; venues such as Milan’s San Siro promote integrated experiences that pair stadium tours with museums and exclusive access, underscoring how major clubs and historic arenas are turning football history into live visitor experiences that travel fans seek out across Europe.

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Source Panel:

  • [1] England Set to Join Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Poland and Turkey in Skyrocketing European Tourism Through Football with Groundbreaking Visitors Throughout the Years, Here’s a New Report on It (Travel and Tour World)
  • [2] Football is highlighted as a major driver of inbound tourism to Britain. VisitBritain’s research insights (2029 overview, referenced material)
  • [3] Reuters: Euro 2024 tourism bring €1 billion Germany study shows (2024-06-14)
  • [4] Politico: euro 2024 football foreign tourists bring €1B Germany study shows (cited Ifo Institute)
  • [5] World Travel Awards: Spain’s leading football stadium tourism experience 2023
  • [6] San Siro Museum & Tour page (Museums and tours for Milan’s stadium)
  • [7] Benfica: Estádio da Luz and Benfica Museum – Stadium and museum experiences (official site)

Source: Noah Wire Services