Chicago and New York Marathons Drive Global Travel Demand
The Chicago and New York marathons are driving higher travel demand, with domestic and international visitors heading to both cities for the major sporting events.
New data from Amadeus Travel Intelligence shows growth in air travel around both races. Domestic air travel is expected to increase 13% during the Chicago marathon period and 45% around the New York marathon.
Meanwhile, hotel data also points to strong demand, particularly in Chicago.
Chicago Hotels See Higher Occupancy and Rates
Hotel occupancy in Chicago during marathon weekend is currently at 85.9%, according to Amadeus Demand360 data.
The city’s average daily hotel rate stands at $364. Moreover, current occupancy is 1.8% ahead of the same booking period last year. Average daily rates are also 10.2% higher.
In New York City, current hotel occupancy stands at 58.1%, down 0.7% compared with the same period last year. However, the average daily rate has increased 12.4% to $369.
International Travelers Head to New York
The New York marathon is attracting visitors from several major international markets.
Brazil and Sweden are among the fastest-growing source markets, with air bookings from both countries up 15% year on year. India follows with growth of 12%, while Colombia is up 11% and Italy is up 10%.
Several individual cities are also recording strong growth. Air travel from Rome is up 48%, while São Paulo has increased 34%. Milan has recorded growth of 12%.
India Drives Demand for Both Marathon Cities
India is emerging as an important source of marathon travel demand for both Chicago and New York.
Indian arrivals into Chicago during the race period are up 14% year on year. They also account for 3.8% of the city’s international arrivals during the period.
In addition, arrivals from Delhi to Chicago have increased 30%.
Indian arrivals into New York are up 12%, placing the country among the fastest-growing international source markets for the city during the marathon period.
Chicago is also seeing higher arrivals from Colombia, Spain and Canada. These markets have increased by 13%, 9% and 2%, respectively.
Texas Leads US Domestic Travel Growth
Domestic travel is showing some of the strongest growth around both events.
Texas is leading the increase, with arrivals from the state up 24% into Chicago and 86% into New York.
Houston is a major contributor. Arrivals from the city are up 32% into Chicago and 121% into New York.
Dallas is also recording strong growth. Travel from the city is up 18% into Chicago and 89% into New York.
Short Trips Dominate Domestic Marathon Travel
Travel patterns suggest that many domestic visitors are making short trips around the races.
Stays of between one and five nights represent 88% of domestic air travel into Chicago. Similarly, they account for 87.4% of domestic arrivals into New York.
International visitors generally stay longer. Short stays represent 48.6% of international arrivals into Chicago and 52.2% into New York.
Solo travel is also common. Solo travelers account for 61.8% of Chicago’s domestic arrivals and 63.7% of domestic arrivals into New York.
Group Travel Creates Opportunity for Hotels
Although solo and short trips remain common, group bookings are rising sharply.
Domestic bookings for groups of six or more have increased 106% into Chicago. New York has recorded an even larger increase of 241%.
As a result, hotels and tourism businesses could have an opportunity to encourage visitors to extend their stays through packages and local experiences.
Overall, the data shows how major sporting events can influence travel patterns well beyond race participation. The Chicago and New York marathons are attracting runners and visitors from across the US and international markets, while also supporting demand for flights, hotels and local tourism services.
