47 Leisure Industry Statistics and Trends

Leisure Industry Statistics and Trends

An estimated 68.1 million Americans are inactive on a regular basis. Inactivity rates have rose in recent years approximately 24% while rates for children between 6-12 years old fell by 100,000. An average of 217 million Americas is active spending majority of times in sports. $157.8 billion in tax revenue is generated by travel spending for federal, state and local governments. 1 out of 9 U.S. jobs that depend on travel and tourism. The following leisure industry statistics provide an outlook as to the most participated and highest valued industries in the United States.

Sports Industry

The estimated worth of the overall sports industry is $470 billion. This is broken down into the following sectors.

1. Major League Baseball: $6.8 billion
2. National Football League: $8.8 billion
3. National Basketball Association: $3.7 billion
4. National Hockey League: $3.4 billion
5. National Collegiate Athletic Association: $871.6 million
6. Spectator Sports: $33.1 billion
7. Sporting Goods Retail Sales: $42.6 billion
8. US Health Clubs: $21.8 million
9. Nascar: $612.4 million

Participation Rates by Sports Segments

Overall, the participate rates in sports, fitness, and other physical activities have seen a decrease. As of 2011, the following percentage of participation has been seen in sports.

• Individual – 38%
• Racquet – 12%
• Team – 21%
• Outdoor – 41.5%
• Winter – 7.5%
• Water – 11%
• Fitness – 60%

Leisure Travel Industry

A look at the hospitality and leisure industry trends for travel. Recent spending cutbacks have led to new changes throughout the travel industry.

Inactivity Rates by Age

The below inactivity rates have occurred with the following age groups.

6-12 years old – 16%
13-17 years old – 17%
18-24 years old – 24%
25-34 years old – 22%
35-44 years old – 23%
45-54 years old – 25%
55-64 years old – 28%
55+ years old – 37%

Participation Rates by Generation

Boomers
Individual – 21%
Racquet – 6%
Team – 5%
Outdoor -30%
Winter – 3%
Water – 4%
Fitness – 46%

Gen X
Individual – 27%
Racquet – 9%
Team – 11%
Outdoor -29%
Winter – 5%
Water – 9%
Fitness – 41%

Gen Y/Millennials
Individual – 39%
Racquet – 15%
Team – 30%
Outdoor -39%
Winter – 10%
Water – 15%
Fitness – 51%

Top 10 Most Inactive States

The following top ten states are seen as having the most inactive participants of sports and leisure activities in the United States.

1. Mississippi – 31.7%
2. West Virginia – 30.5%
3. Louisiana – 29.8%
4. New Mexico – 29.8%
5. Tennessee – 29.6%
6. New York – 27.9%
7. Florida – 27.5%
8. North Carolina – 26.9%
9. Pennsylvania – 26.2%
10. New Jersey – 25.6%

Top 10 Most Active States

The following top 10 states have the most active population in leisurely activities.

1. Utah – 61.7%
2. Idaho – 61.3%
3. New Hampshire – 60.9%
4. Colorado – 60.1%
5. Minnesota – 57.4%
6. Virginia – 56.6%
7. Wisconsin – 55.2%
8. Nevada – 55.2%
9. Oregon – 54%
10. Illinois – 53.6%

Top 10 Leisure Activities

The following list is of the top 10 most participated in leisure activities based on frequency in the United States and their percentage of involvement.

1. Dining Out – 49.3%
2. Entertaining at Home – 38.3%
3. Reading Books – 37.9%
4. Barbecuing – 34.7%
5. Go to the Beach – 25.7%
6. Baking – 25.3%
7. Cooking for Fun – 22%
8. Playing Cards – 20.3%
9. Visit Bars/Night Clubs – 19.1%
10. Play Board Games – 16.7%

Online Travel Industry

In 2012, there were over 1 billion international travel arrivals in the world. The United States travel industry alone saw revenues of $162 billion. Approximately 87% of travelers use the internet for travel planning. The below infographic outlines current statistics and trends for online travel.