Sabre Insights: How the Olympics Boosted Global Travel Trends

Photo source: International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, has revealed that the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris spurred a significant global travel surge.

New York claimed the gold medal for sending the most travelers to France during the Games, while Tokyo secured the silver.

According to Sabre’s analysis, international air travel to France’s main Olympic host cities saw a 31 percent increase during the first week of the Games compared to the same period last year. Paris experienced a 33 percent rise in international arrivals, but the Olympic excitement extended beyond the capital, with Lille witnessing a 51 percent increase in visitors, Bordeaux 33 percent, and Nantes 35 percent.

New York emerged as the top contributor to this travel boom, with a significant surge in flights to Paris and other key Olympic destinations. Tokyo followed closely, with Japanese travelers heading to various French cities, particularly Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nantes, to support their national teams. A standout trend was the 1450 percent increase in travel from Tokyo to Tahiti, the site of the Olympic surfing events, showcasing the global reach of the Games.

While the Olympics attracted millions to France, they also influenced outbound travel patterns. Outbound travel from France increased by 13 percent in the week leading up to the opening ceremony as locals and other travelers sought quieter destinations.

Travel behaviors varied during the Games. Solo travelers and couples were particularly drawn to the event, with solo travel up by 69 percent and couples by 31 percent. In contrast, family travel saw a relative decrease, reflecting a trend where families might have chosen to avoid the bustling Olympic host cities.

Airlines responded to this surge in demand by increasing international capacity to France by 7 percent during the Olympic period. However, domestic air capacity within France decreased by 4 percent, influenced by the country’s ban on short-haul domestic flights that could be replaced by train journeys under 2.5 hours. Key routes like Nice to Paris saw a capacity boost of up to 21 percent to accommodate the influx of Olympic-bound travelers.

The busiest day for travel to host cities was July 25, with a 76 percent increase in travel the day before the opening ceremony. Interestingly, fares for the Olympic weeks decreased closer to the Games, despite the high demand.

The highest year-on-year boost for international travel to France came from North America and Asia Pacific, driven particularly by travelers from New York and Tokyo. Paris trips were concentrated in the first two weeks of the Games, while other host cities saw more of a boost in the weeks leading up to the Olympics.

As the world looks ahead to the upcoming Paralympic Games, Sabre’s data indicates that New York and Tokyo will once again lead the charge, continuing the global excitement and participation in France’s historic summer of sport.