Global Scans · Leisure · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Online retailing will be one of the fastest growing channels between 2015 and 2019 as individuals do not have much time for leisure and seek convenience. Entertainment will continue to shift away from traditional broadcast media and print to reality augmented and deeply personalised content. The occupations with the largest new employment growth will be managers, professional and technical jobs, and caring and leisure occupations. Many middle-class professionals will be outsourced to machines within the next few decades leaving workers with more leisure time than they have ever experienced.

• [New] Domestic leisure is the only major travel segment to exceed pre-pandemic spending in real terms, with spending projected at $909 billion in 2026. U.S. Travel Association
• [New] In 2026, industries such as finance, healthcare, supply chain, real estate, and digital entertainment will see major transformation through blockchain adoption. Malgo Technologies
• [New] AI is going mainstream in travel planning with 50% of travelers having used it to plan or research a holiday, up from 41% the previous year, and 50% expressing comfort at the prospect of using AI to book accommodations in the future. FINN Partners
• [New] Live sports monetization could accelerate Netflix's ad revenue trajectory beyond current projections, as sports viewers do not skip ads and command premium rates. 24/7 Wall St.
• [New] The spatial computing entertainment segment was valued at USD 45,245.44 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 218,418.73 million by 2032, growing at a 22.2% CAGR. openpr
• [New] Soccer and basketball are projected to generate the highest amount of global women's sports revenue in 2026, driven by varied investments - including the launch of new leagues and competitions - that are expected to fuel the future of women's sports. Cision PR Newswire
• Projected U.S. leisure travel spending will reach a historic high of $5,704 per household in 2026, with the utilization of AI travel planning tools becoming more common among travelers and international travel reaching its highest level since before 2020. Hotel News Resource
• Demand signals remain mixed rather than weak: U.S. leisure spending is projected to reach a new high, but travelers are showing greater price sensitivity in destination choice, increasing the importance of value-oriented revenue management and segmentation. Hotel News Resource
• Younger age groups are more likely to plan friend trips, weddings, bachelor or bachelorette parties, concerts, professional sporting events, and work trips in summer 2026, which helps explain stronger vacation rental demand among Gen Z and millennials. / USA StayFi
• Deloitte forecasts women's elite sports revenues will surpass $3 billion in 2026-up 25% from 2025's $2.4 billion-driven by strong growth in broadcast and matchday streams; basketball and football each account for ~35%, with North America ($1.64 bn, 54%) and Europe ($434 m, 14%) leading. Global Banking & Finance Review
• Annual sports betting wagers will likely exceed $120 billion, while revenue from sports wagering will approach $11 billion. SweepsPulse
• ESPN is presented as a pivotal growth engine, with partnership potential, especially with the NFL, that could reshape sports streaming. Simply Wall St
• Netflix shares rallied to more than $100 Monday morning, fueled by subscription price hikes driving 31.5% operating margin guidance for 2026, ad revenue projected to double to $3 B, and live sports strategy expansion. 24/7 Wall St.
• FanDuel Predicts is a $300 million investment commitment from its parent company Flutter Entertainment that indicates the potential opportunity and the threat that prediction markets will be to traditional gaming companies. Iredell Free News
• A 2026 industry outlook based on a survey of 244 property managers representing more than 43,000 vacation rentals found that 42% expected local or state regulations to limit their ability to meet 2026 targets, while 47% reported operating under strict permitting or licensing requirements. StayFi
• U.S. leisure travel demand is projected to remain strong in 2026, with annual household travel spending expected to reach a record $5,704 and an average of 3.87 vacations planned per household over the next 12 months. Hotel News Resource
• Half of U.S. leisure travelers surveyed have used AI tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini to plan their trips, with adoption led by Gen Z and Millennials. Hotel News Resource
• Women's sports revenues continue to surge Deloitte Global predicts that global revenues in women's elite sports will reach $3 billion in 2026, representing an increase of 340% since 2022. Cision PR Newswire
• Soccer and basketball are expected to be the top revenue-generating women's sports globally in 2026, with each expected to represent 35% of the total revenue. Cision PR Newswire
• Many fans are investing their time and money in women's sports: Matchday revenue is expected to grow to $911 million, representing 30% of total revenue in 2026. Cision PR Newswire

Last updated: 13 May 2026