Each month, APAC lead editor Therese Reyes looks into the latest cultural shifts in the region and explains the audience behaviours behind them. Sign up to our monthly newsletter here.

I can’t recall when I first learned about HYROX, but suddenly, it’s unavoidable. My social media feed now transforms into a race day fan account every few months or so, with post after post of friends and acquaintances lunging with a weighted sandbag or throwing a medicine ball. I don’t think I can ever get myself to train for something like this (I actively avoided PE throughout school), but I won’t deny the FOMO I feel when the circuit-training videos are replaced by celebratory nights out in Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Melbourne. I see the appeal of cafe hopping with friends after a series of herculean tasks, a fact I’m not afraid to admit because the opportunity to travel is part of the reason the HYROX hive has grown so rapidly in the first place. And it’s not just HYROX – flying for fitness has become a boon for tourism in the region.

Why is this important?

The fitness sector is an unexpectedly huge opportunity for anyone involved in tourism – travel operators, accommodation providers and even restaurants can tap into fitness. National governments are aware of this growing trend and savvier ones are taking advantage of the ‘racecation’ travel boom. Singapore, for example, acknowledges the importance of bolstering sport-related events to diversify tourism options in the city-state. Last year, over 300,000 people attended the 3-day Singapore Grand Prix events. [1]It’s similar to their successful strategy of engaging with concert organisers. In 2024, Singapore drew in over 200,000 fans when it became the only Southeast Asia stop in Taylor Swift’s record-breaking The Eras Tour. [2]HYROX events bring together sport and fandom – two things Asian travellers look for on their trips as they seek community. According to research from Hilton, 40% of respondents from China, India, Australia, Singapore and Japan intend to plan international trips around sporting or music events, while 60% have already travelled domestically or internationally for such events. [3] “We see rising global interest in sports events, including endurance and fitness competitions that motivate enthusiasts to travel and participate,” Lillian Chee, director of sports at the Singapore Tourism Board, tells South China Morning Post. [4]

Fitness has become a large part of tourism and leisure activities throughout AsiaCecep Rahmat | Unsplash (2024)

What’s the behavioural shift?

Across the region, people are becoming increasingly interested in combining fitness with their holidays. 55% of respondents in Korea are open to going on a ‘run+trip’ to a domestic or foreign destination this year, either to run casually or to participate in marathons. [5]It’s a trend rooted in people’s desire for more value in the luxuries they still choose to spend on. Despite global uncertainties, APAC travellers are not travelling less but are instead doing so more intentionally, focusing on familiarity, practicality, and flexibility. [6] 37% of APAC travellers plan their trips around unique local experiences, especially those related to food and culture, and one in four respondents said they would travel for major live entertainment and sporting events like the FIFA World Cup 2026, Formula 1, and K-Pop.

While fitness events, in general, are on the rise, this is why HYROX stands out – the merging of various interests that usually draw in passionate fans. HYROX involves sport, entertainment, and content creators. “There was a HYROX event in Singapore and rapper Jay Park and K-pop star Minho from SHINee were there. One of the participants in Netflix’s Physical 100 was there, too. Fans can actively participate in the event and even rub shoulders with celebrities. That’s the beauty of HYROX – to be able to say you ran the same track that a world-class athlete is running. Where else can this happen? In football, even if I said ‘Hey, I want to pay €5,000, can I play with Messi?’ it ain't going to happen,” Martin Zhang, the Shanghai-based global business director for Jung von Matt NERD, tells Canvas8. He adds, “It's so successful here in Asia because it's about participation. I'm an athlete. I'm a hybrid-rockstar. I want to share this on social media. And it's very easy to understand. It doesn't matter if you run it in Singapore, Tokyo or Shanghai. The race design is super easy – it's basically the same layout every time. And I think it’s also like a ritual, in a sense.” [7] You can think of HYROX as a pilgrimage of sorts. It gives people a deeper reason to go on vacation, builds a community of everyday athletes, engages with other interests, and leaves participants feeling accomplished.

Celebrities and influencers from all over Asia, even K-pop, participate in fitness tourism@shineereynosa | Instagram (2026)

What’s the key takeaway for brands?

One of the biggest opportunities is in tourism. Running USA’s 2024 Global Runner Survey found that location is an important factor for runners when choosing races, and that 59% of participants choose to stay three to five nights at event destinations. [8]Knowing this, some hotels have gotten in on the action. Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin, in partnership with HYROX, welcomed guests who were participating in the competition with a care package that included high-protein snacks, electrolyte drinks, and sleeping masks. It also labeled HYROX-friendly options at its hotel buffet and highlighted amenities such as the sauna and ice baths. [9]Airlines have taken notice too. Earlier this year, AirAsia partnered with HYROX and promised to enable HYROX athletes, participants and fans to travel seamlessly to key host cities. The collaboration will launch a series of community-driven initiatives and on-ground activations beyond race day, and see the Malaysian airline work with selected HYROX Training Club gyms in markets including Osaka, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Incheon. Participants registered for selected HYROX races partnered with AirAsia in 2026 will also receive an exclusive 10% discount on flights for a designated period when they initially register with HYROX. [10]

Beyond races, this phenomenon serves as a masterclass in interest integration. How can a brand bring together seemingly unconnected things people are passionate about? For example, ALDI Holidays launched in Australia in 2024, promising the same quality deals for less than it does in its discount supermarkets. Back to fitness, K-pop company SM Entertainment recently announced the SMTOWN RUN CLUB 26, set to launch in October. While details are not yet available, it’s an interesting (if surprising) pivot to community events that still leverages the fandom it has built. Though seemingly random, there are strong connections here: run clubs are on the rise in Korea (as they are in the rest of the world), SM has a dedicated fandom that don’t only support certain groups but all its artists (Known as Pink Blood), and some of its idols are known race enthusiasts, like the aforementioned Minho from SHINee, spotted at a HYROX event in Singapore this year. [11] Now this might get me to travel for a race.