The Solheim Cup, a highly regarded women’s golf event that pits Europe against the United States, has signed a multi-year sponsorship with Skyscanner, a search aggregator and travel agency platform.
Skyscanner’s multi-year sponsorship contract is the first of its type, as the travel marketplace seeks to raise brand awareness among travellers in some of the fastest expanding categories of sports and sports tourism.
According to recent studies, the funds produced by women’s elite sports will exceed US$1 billion for the first time in 2024, increasing 300% from 2021, with global contests accounting for US$425 million (33%) of the anticipated total. In a similar vein according to the UNWTO, sports tourism accounts for around 10% of global tourist expenditure and is expected to expand by 17.5% between 2023 and 2030. In the United Kingdom, according to the Women’s Sport Trust’s most recent study, a record 46.7 million viewers tuned in to watch women’s sport on pay TV in 2023, surpassing 2019 records, with the last day of the Solheim Cup being the most-watched event.
According to the Scotland-based firm’s survey of travel booking trends, women plan holidays for over two-thirds of families in markets such as Canada (55%), France (56%), Germany (60%), Spain (53%), Singapore (53%), the United States (58%), and the United Kingdom (59%).*
With over 110 million monthly users throughout Skyscanner’s platforms globally looking for the best discounts on flights, hotels, and auto rentals, this is an enormous collaboration for both the Solheim Cup and women’s golf.
The collaboration will go deeper into the profound relationship between golf and travel, and Skyscanner will use this platform to help golf fans make the most of their resources and time when travelling for golf events. The travel planner app also anticipates eliciting stories from behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup, as well as discovering motivating and entertaining stories about professional competitors and golf enthusiasts travelling in search of the perfect round.
Sonja Balcer, Director of Affiliate and Performance Partnerships at Skyscanner, commented, “The Solheim Cup is an incredible, world-renowned sporting event and we’re looking forward to playing our part in what will no doubt be an amazing contest. It delivers on both our desire to build our brand presence at the intersection of women’s elite sports and sports tourism, as well as partnering with a global event that strongly aligns with our vision and values. Despite living and working in the UK for the past several years, I’m originally from the States, so will be personally rooting for the U.S. Team all the way!”
Alexandra Armas, Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, commented, “The Solheim Cup is an international celebration of excellence, teamwork, and pride. We are thrilled to welcome Skyscanner to our esteemed list of Global Partners for the 2024 and 2026 editions in the United States and Europe respectively. Skyscanner’s commitment to helping shape a more responsible future for travel in collaboration with partners aligns perfectly with our vision and values. Through the support of Skyscanner, the teams and supporters will be able to maximise their time and money when travelling to enjoy world class golf competition and enhanced fan experiences. We are looking forward to further elevating this great competition for our passionate players, partners, and fans.”
The 2024 Solheim Cup is scheduled to be held from September 10 to 15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, USA.