TORONTO — It’s that time of year again. Not the holiday season, and not the winter sun season, although both are on the doorstep. For NHL fans, it’s hockey season. And for anyone who sells sports packages, it’s boom times.

The surge in popularity for sports tourism over the past few years is staggering. According to Sports ETA’s research on U.S. spectator sports tourism, which directly relates to fans travelling to watch games, direct spending reached US$51.1 billion in 2025, compared with US$47.1 billion in 2024.

Those are U.S. figures. But 10% of that, the typical guesstimate for Canadian stats from American data, is US$5.1 billion. Even a very conservative 1% is $511 million.

“For travel advisors, the opportunity extends well beyond the ticket. Those fans need accommodation, transportation and help planning their time in the destination,” says Elite Sports Tours’ CEO, Tim Macdonell.

BUILT-IN QUOTING TOOLS

The company’s travel advisor portal, the Sports Travel Agent Network, went live last summer. Commissionable sports and concert travel packages combine tickets, hotels and optional flights. The portal has built-in quoting tools to streamline the process of creating and emailing personalized packages directly to clients. Advisors can adjust options, update quotes and manage follow-ups in one place, with referral links and sales tracking to monitor bookings.

For the uninitiated, a typical sports travel getaway built around an NHL game would be a two or three-night trip with hotel accommodation and tickets to an NHL game on Saturday night. Says Macdonell: “Imagine clients arriving in Montreal on Friday, enjoying dinner and exploring the city on Saturday during the day, then watching the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night before returning home on Sunday. The game gives the trip its purpose, while the destination makes it a complete getaway. Fans are making these quick weekends away more eventful by planning it around a sports weekend.”

Arranging more than one game, or combining a hockey game with another sport, is also possible. “We have had some advisors promote dual sport weekends in one city with a lot of success,” he says. “One agent promoted the Toronto Blue Jays’ last game and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first game on an extended weekend in Toronto.”

Trips are built around the client’s priorities, including seating preferences, hotel location, length of stay and budget.

PRIME MATCH-UPS

No detail is too small. The company also provides onboarding, marketing support and guidance on seating, hotels and itineraries for individual and group trips. “Advisors bring the client relationship; we provide the inventory, technology and sports travel expertise,” says Macdonell.

Macdonell’s primer for advisors includes a list of noteworthy NHL match-ups for the coming months …

• The Calgary Flames vs. the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 28; packages including two upper bowl tickets and two nights at the four-star Hotel Le Germain Calgary, Jan. 28 – 30, start at $550 per person.
• The Edmonton Oilers vs. Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 30; packages including two upper bowl tickets and two nights at the four-star Westin Edmonton, Jan. 29 – 31, start at $525 per person.
• The Ottawa Senators vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 13; packages including two upper bowl tickets and two nights at the four-star Lord Elgin Hotel, Feb. 12 – 14, start at $500 per person.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 26; packages including two tickets and two nights at the four-star Moxy Montreal Downtown, Dec. 26 – 28, start at $765 per person.
• The Vancouver Canucks vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 13; packages including two upper bowl tickets and two nights at the four-star Union Hotel in Toronto, March 12 – 14, start at $485 per person.

GETTING THE BALL ROLLING

All of this raises an obvious question: how can advisors score in this incredibly popular market segment?

Three tips. First, says Macdonell, “start with a simple question. Ask clients which teams they follow or whether there is a sporting event they have always wanted to attend. Keep those interests in their profile so you can suggest a trip that feels personal.”

Next, build on destinations you already know. “If you sell Montreal, Toronto, New York or Florida, you already have a starting point. Adding a game can turn a familiar city into a memorable sports getaway.”

Finally, he says, “lead with a team your clients love. Choose a team that is popular with your audience and introduce a hockey weekend or a trip to watch that team on the road. Share the idea with a few interested clients. Clients will often inquire if you have other teams available; the goal is to get the conversation going.”

For more details see EliteSportsTours.com/sports-travel-agent-network.

Lead image caption: Just about game time for the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (photo courtesy Tim Macdonell)