Thais spent THB7,054 on average on sports-related items in 2023: survey

The survey gathered data from a total of 14,481 people across the country. The findings revealed that, on average, Thais spent 7,054.68 baht during the year on sports-related activities.

Among different demographic groups, the LGBTQ+ community was the highest annual spender at an average of 7,801.45 baht on sports-related activities, followed by males 7,100.83 baht and females 6,965.84 baht per year.

The top 10 areas of sport-related expenditure were:

Sports shoes: 2,092.83 baht

Food and beverages: 1,299.24 baht

Sports clothing: 947.64 baht

Sports equipment: 815.41 baht

Admission tickets and registration fees: 390.65 baht

Travel: 349.78 baht

Vehicle: 246.56 baht

Supplements and beverages for athletes: 219.79 baht

Renting sports field: 171.96 baht

Hotel/accommodation: 137.56 baht

Based on the findings, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has made policy recommendations.

Sports clothing, footwear, and equipment constitute over 47% of the total sports-related expenditures for the general public. This percentage increased to 55% in 2023.

To enhance the growth of the Thai sports industry, there should be an expedited promotion of Thai brands for sports apparel, footwear, and equipment to compete in the market, the ministry said.

Policies should focus on both manufacturing and consumption aspects such as encouraging the establishment of clusters for makers of sports apparel, footwear, and equipment in Thailand. Key aspects include product development, product standardisation, and aggressive marketing strategies.

The expenditure on food and beverages accounted for more than 15% of the total sports-related expenditures. Hotel accommodation expenses are also crucial. Hence, there should be policies to assess the readiness of food and hotel accommodation businesses in target areas for various sports activities, the ministry said.

Expenditure on sports memorabilia still holds a relatively low value, accounting for less than 1% of the total sports-related expenses. Therefore, government agencies should formulate policies to promote the development of sports memorabilia businesses. This initiative could start by engaging sports clubs and competition organisers, focusing on the development of memorabilia products that align with consumer needs, the ministry suggested.

From comparing the actual expenses and the maximum willingly paid expenses for tickets/admission fees/competition entry fees, it was found that the actual expenses incurred by the majority of the public was higher than the maximum amount they were willing to pay. Most people perceive the value of spending money to attend sports events as relatively low.

Therefore, government agencies need appropriate policies to attract more public interest in attending sports events, the ministry said.