You may need Booking.com a little sooner than you think if you’re one of the 1 in 5  Aussies who would consider putting travelling to a major sporting event in front of their partner or career. 

In which case, it might be the couch for you tonight.

That’s right,  Booking.com, the digital travel leader, in partnership with YouGov Galaxy, has released their latest research revealing that a fifth of respondents who indicated plans for a trip to see a major sporting event would be willing to break up with their partner or lose their job if it meant they could travel to see the sporting event.

Now that’s a big call.

Almost one in two Aussies surveyed claimed they would make some sort of sacrifice in order to travel for sport. But ladies, it’s not just the blokes you can expect this from. Despite more than half of the male respondents (51 per cent) attesting to this, women aren’t far behind in their love for travel and sport, with almost a third (31 per cent) agreeing that they would make a sacrifice in order to to see a major sporting event.

Booking.com research reveals Australians love their sport more than their partner or career. Image purchased.

Booking.com research reveals Australians love their sport more than their partner or career. Image purchased.

And, to add to the controversy, those sport-loving Aussies are prepared to part with their hard-earned savings (60 per cent of those willing to make sacrifices) as well as missing out on milestone family occasions (30 per cent). That’s showing just how high travelling for a sporting experience is on their agenda. 

So, it seems, us sport-loving folk are more likely to end up single, unemployed and broke – what a combination.

The majority of Australians wish to travel, both domestically and internationally, and 80 per cent of us have created a goal-like ‘bucket list’ to ensure those dreams come true. It turns out, 1 in 4 of us who have a ‘dream bucket list’ have included a sporting event, proving that serious thirst for sport and travel yet again.

Area Manager at Booking.com Australia, Luke Wilson, commented: 

“It’s never been more important for Australians to get the most out of their trips. With such a huge number of travellers dreaming of watching a sporting event on their travels, we’re here to make those dreams – big and small – a reality. With more than 29 million listings across the globe, Booking.com provides a booking for everyone, no matter what they’re looking for or where they want to go, including, facilitating incredible sport-inspired travel experiences. We’re proud to make it easier for everyone to live out their dreams and experience global events such as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.”


The research was commissioned by Booking.com utilising independent research body YouGov Galaxy. The research was conducted among a sample size of 1057 Australians aged 18 years and older. Fieldwork was undertaken in February 2020. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates. 
Feature image via Shutterstock.