Chicago and New York Marathon Weekends Inspire Global Travel

Republished from Amadeus Insights

Marathon running is having a landmark year. In April, the first official sub-two-hour marathon was recorded in London, helping propel the sport further into the global spotlight. This October and November, attention turns to the Chicago and New York marathons, two of the world’s largest races, attracting tens of thousands of runners and spectator crowds estimated in the millions.

New data from Amadeus Travel Intelligence reveals that travel indicators showing air and hotel demand are rising around these key dates. Domestic air travel is set to increase on the weeks of the Chicago (+13%) and New York (45%) marathons, and hotel data from Amadeus Demand360  shows hotel occupancy in Chicago the marathon weekend (Fri – Sun) currently at 85.9% and an average daily rate of $364.00. On-the-books occupancy is 1.8% ahead of same-time-last-year and the ADR is 10.2% higher.   New York City is pacing -0.7% occupancy compared to same-time-last-year at 58.1% however, the average daily rate has increased by +12.4% up to $369.

New York draws demand from Italy, Brazil and Sweden

Analysis from Amadeus Travel Intelligence reveals that travelers from different corners of the world are coming into New York and Chicago during the dates of the marathons.

The top inbound markets for the New York marathon highlight a diverse picture of global travel. Within this, there are key pockets of growing demand in several cities, like Rome (+48%), Sao Paulo (+34%) and Milan (+12%).

Both marathons draw increased demand from India

India is a sizeable source market growing at both marathon locations. Arrivals from India to Chicago during the race window are up +14% year on year, and make up 3.8% of the city’s international arrivals. Into New York, Indian arrivals are up +12%, Delhi leads Chicago growth at +30%.  Ranked by year-on-year growth, the source markets gaining ground at the Chicago race are:

Texas and the Sunbelt power domestic demand

Domestic travel is where both races are growing fastest, and Texas leads it. Texan origin cities lifted arrivals into Chicago by +24% and into New York by +86%, ahead of every other US region for both races. Houston is up +32% into Chicago and +121% into New York. Dallas is up +18% and +89% for New York.

Diverse group dynamics

Travel patterns suggest a fly-in, race, fly-out pattern for domestic travelers as short trips dominate for both cities. Short stays (1-5 nights) account for 88% of domestic air travel into Chicago and 87.4% into New York. International travelers stay longer, with short stays at 48.6% of arrivals into Chicago and 52.2% into New York.

Both races are dominated by solo travelers.. For Chicago domestic solo travel is at 61.8%. New York has seen a rise in solo domestic travelers, making up 63.7% of arrivals into New York.

However, length of stay indicates that there is an opportunity for potential runners to extend their stay above a quick trip. Domestic bookings for parties of six or more have more than doubled into both cities, up +106% into Chicago and +241% into New York offering an opportunity for hoteliers to provide packages to encourage longer stays and enhance the local experience while in the host cities.

“On-trip wellness and fitness is no longer an afterthought for travelers, it is now a driving force of travel itself. Events such as marathons create short, precise windows of demand, making data-driven insight increasingly important for hoteliers and destinations to identify audiences, target demand effectively and optimize operations. By combining actionable data with targeted advertising, hotels can better connect with wellness-minded travelers and maximize the opportunity created by these major events,” says Jill Boegel, SVP of Commercial, Americas, Hospitality, Amadeus.

Chris Heywood, Senior Vice President, Public Relations and Chief Communications Officer at Brand USA, the nation’s Destination Marketing Organization, comments, “Sport can be fantastically unifying. This year, in the USA we’ve seen the power of sports up close as the world’s largest soccer tournament unfolded over summer. Travelers from around the world came together to support their teams, explore new cities and experience American hospitality.

“It’s terrific to see events like the Abbott marathons continue to draw in runners and spectators from around the world as well as increased demand from fellow US travelers. I hope to see this trend continue and deepen – perhaps with attendees spending taking extra days around the race weekend to see what these great cities and even destinations beyond have to offer.”