Editor’s Pick

16Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

Milano Cortina 2026: the power of the Olympic House

Ramy James Salameh feels the emotions and understands the many benefits of Austria's Olympic House in Cortina d'Ampezzo. A place of celebration, promotion and dialogue during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Imagine having representatives of your embassy, departments of culture, media and sport, as well as national sporting federations, Olympic committee members, key corporate stakeholders, VIPs and athletes all under one roof, during one of the world’s great sporting festivals. Welcome to the Austrian Olympic House at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. These venues are hubs for dialogue between business and industry, tourism and sports, politics and media. They are also platforms to showcase national pride, culture and promotion in-between the thrilling spectacl...

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13Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships unveil venue expansion plans

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has unveiled plans for an extensive two-phase redevelopment that will transform the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and surrounding Aviation Club Tennis Complex. Initial enhancements will debut at the 2026 edition in February, with the full transformation completed ahead of the 2027 Championships. Designed to elevate the player experience and enhance fan engagement, the expansion marks the most significant upgrade to the Al Garhoud venue in its 30-year history. The redesign, which is being led by specialist stadium design consultancy BDP Pattern and with Turner & Townsend as project managers, positions the Championships as a tournament reflective of Dubai’s global reputation as a world-class host city for international sporting events.  ...

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13Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Trends

London tops 2026 sports-tripping index ahead of Dubai and Tokyo

London has been crowned the world’s best city for sports-tripping in 2026, according to a global study by luggage storage network Stasher. The research found that nearly 30% of people have travelled – or would consider travelling – abroad for a major sporting event, reflecting the continued rise of sports tourism as a mainstream travel driver.  According to UN Tourism, sports tourism now accounts for around 10% of global tourism spending, with projections suggesting the sector could reach $1.3 trillion by 2032. Scoring 7.6 out of 10, London’s appeal lies in the sheer density of elite teams and global events across the so-called ‘big five’ sports – football, rugby union, basketball, baseball and cricket. The city is home to 20 world-class teams, including football heavyweights Arsenal...

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13Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Trends

Priority Pass report: sports and wellness drive experience-led journeys

A fundamental shift is reshaping global travel, as travellers increasingly prioritise purpose, passion and personal wellbeing over traditional sightseeing. According to Priority Pass’ latest global research report – From Stadiums to Spas: Unlocking the Explosive Growth of Sports and Wellness Travel – sports and wellness are no longer niche motivations but central pillars of how people plan and experience trips. The report, based on a survey of more than 12,000 travellers across 20 international markets, highlights a clear move towards experience-led itineraries, where travel is shaped around activities that align with lifestyle, identity and self-improvement rather than destinations alone. Two of the fastest-growing forces behind this shift are sports tourism and wellness travel. Spo...

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4Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Bucket List, Editor's Pick, Guides

Bucket list guide to winter in the Tatra Mountains

The Tatra Mountains’ growing appeal as one of Europe’s best winter sports destinations is gaining momentum year-on-year. Inviting thrill-seekers and families to experience resorts like Tatranska Lomnica and Strbske Pleso, which are ideal for intermediate to advanced skiers, to the family-friendly slopes of Stary Smokovec rated as easy-to-moderate and all connected via the Tatra Electric Railway line and Jasna, one of central Europe’s best and largest ski resorts, catering for all levels of skier. However, this bucket-list guide to winter in the Tatra Mountains will give a different perspective of this spectacular region, one which will inspire, educate, explore and ultimately encourage you to add these life experiences to your memory banks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--0mH...

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21Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Guides, Holidays & Trips

Saint Lucia’s sporting pedigree creates sports travel legacy

Some destinations defy their size, bursting with sporting legends and adventure. Saint Lucia is one such nation and island that may be small, but its influence in sports and active-adventure is immense. Ramy James Salameh visited to explore and discover what makes this Caribbean paradise a true sports travel powerhouse. Wherever I found myself in Saint Lucia, I was never far from a vibrant billboard celebrating Julien Alfred's historic victory in the 100m sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She not only brought home the island’s first ever Olympic medal but dazzled the world with a gold in the 100m and a silver in the 200m, both blue-ribbon events of the Summer Games. The impact of her achievements is as powerful as Saint Lucia’s volcanic landscape, and the seismic reverberations are ...

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10Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Sports Business

Sport propels Europe’s event-driven tourism growth in 2025

Europe’s event-driven tourism sector grew by 7% in 2025, with sport emerging as a central engine of growth, driving significant economic impact for destinations and local communities across the continent. According to a comprehensive analysis by Mabrian and Data Appeal, both Almawave Group companies, the sports category accounted for the largest share of event-related tourism expenditure, highlighting professional matches and major competitions as major tourism magnets. Across the 12 European markets studied – including Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Greece, the UK, Germany, and France – sports accounted for 41.4% of all event-driven tourism spending, outpacing other event types. Markets such as Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Greece stand out for their heavy reliance on sports events, where the...

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10Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Calendars, Editor's Pick, Sports Business

2026 sports business events and conferences calendar

In this month-by-month calendar, we take a look at the sports business events, conferences and awards that are taking place in 2026. The global sports business calendar is rich with opportunities for industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals. Sports business events are critical to the growth and evolution of the sports tourism sector, acting as platforms for networking, innovation, and strategic collaboration.  These events, such as conferences, summits, and trade expos, bring together key stakeholders, including league executives, sponsors, broadcasters, and technology innovators. They provide a forum for addressing current challenges, exploring emerging trends, and shaping the future of sports. This page will be updated as schedules are announced. Events and dates ...

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3Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Calendars, Editor's Pick, Events

2026 global sports events calendar

The 2026 global sports calendar is packed with exciting events that promise unforgettable moments for fans worldwide. The year’s marquee line-up begins with the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, showcasing elite winter sports competition in February. Following the winter sports showcase, the stage is then set for one of the biggest events of the year: the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June to July, which will feature an expanded 48-team field and captivate billions worldwide. Seasonal staples also return: the NFL Super Bowl, Uefa Champions League final, golf's Masters, the Wimbledon tennis grand slam, the Tour de France cycling race and more, ensuring continuous elite competition from January through December.  ...

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1Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Calendars, Editor's Pick, Events

2026 travel trade events and conferences calendar

In this month-by-month calendar, we take a look at the upcoming travel and tourism industry events and conferences for 2026. Travel trade events play a vital role in shaping the future of global tourism. These gatherings bring together key stakeholders, including airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, and technology providers, to network, share insights, and discuss emerging trends.  Major events like World Travel Market (WTM) in London, ITB Berlin in Germany and Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai are prime examples of platforms where professionals can forge partnerships, explore new markets, and showcase products. These conferences often set the stage for important agreements, such as destination marketing initiatives and technological solutions to enhance travel exp...

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22Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Guides, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

A day in the sporting life of Somabay

Have you ever dreamed of experiencing life as a professional athlete? Follow in Ramy Salameh's footsteps and travel to Somabay, a premier sports tourism destination on Egypt’s Red Sea featuring world-class facilities. Imagine a day which starts by watching an ATP tour tennis tournament and ends on horseback viewing the sun melt below the Red Sea Mountains. And in-between getting to play a nine-hole Par 3 golf course, snorkel above a family of turtles gliding passed a coral reef, before slipping into the Red Sea’s only Thalasso Tonic seawater-based therapy pool to pummel your every sinew into a more relaxed state. This was a day I experienced during a stay in Somabay, one of the most beautiful peninsula’s on Egypt’s dazzling Red Sea coastline and one which continues to e...

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14Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Bucket List, Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips

Sports travel bucket list: Loch Ness and Great Glen Way walking holiday 

Self-guided walking holiday specialist Inntravel has launched a number of new European itineraries for 2026, ranging from the wild atmosphere of Loch Ness in Scotland to the Prosecco Hills of northeastern Italy.  Among the other introductions for the year ahead are Spain’s oldest National Park, the wild Picos de Europa, and its ‘Green Coast’, and a single centre walking holiday in the whitewashed fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell on the quiet side of the Costa Brava.  In this new addition to the sports travel bucket list, we look at Inntravel’s walking holiday to the most famous glen and loch in the Scottish Highlands.  Loch Ness and the Great Glen Way  Explore both shores of Loch Ness on this self-guided holiday based at a stylish four-star hotel in Fort Augustus. The ren...

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30Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Sports Business

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035: a potential UK sports tourism blockbuster

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have formally launched a joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035, positioning the tournament as the biggest single-sport event ever staged on UK soil – and a potential blockbuster for sports tourism across all four nations.  Under the “All Together” bid banner, the four football associations are proposing 22 stadiums across 16 host cities, with FIFA expected to trim that list to around 14-16 venues should the bid be successful. The tournament – expanded to 48 teams – would feature 104 matches over 39 days, with organisers targeting 4.5 million ticket sales and a global TV audience of 3.5 billion. It would also be the UK’s first World Cup since 1966, giving a new generation of fans the chance to experience a global finals on home tu...

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30Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Sports Business

Amdavad in India to host Centenary Commonwealth Games 2030

The Indian city of Amdavad, also known as Ahmedabad, has been formally named as the host city of the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030. The decision confirms that the world’s most populous nation will stage the landmark edition of the Games, after delegates of the 74 Commonwealth member nations and territories ratified India’s bid at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow. India presented a compelling vision for the 2030 Games, centred in the Gujarat city of Amdavad, which will build on foundations laid by Glasgow 2026.  Jaismine Lamboria, world champion boxer from India, said: “It truly is a proud moment to see India become the host of the Centenary Commonwealth Games. Amdavad will give athletes and fans a very warm and vibrant welcome, and having the opportunity...

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22Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business

Dubai unveils ambitious playbook to become the world’s top sporting city by 2033

Dubai has set out a bold roadmap to become the world’s leading sporting city with the launch of the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033 – an ambitious framework aimed at boosting the emirate’s global standing in elite competition, community sport and the fast-growing sports tourism sector. Unveiled by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the strategy outlines a comprehensive vision centred on competitiveness and sustainable industry growth, all while significantly expanding Dubai’s position as a magnet for international sporting events and visitors. At a launch ceremony held at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex, Mansoor bin Mohammed affirmed that the plan “enhances the sector’s competitiveness, creates new opportunities, nur...

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2Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business

Apply for ‘The Coolest Job on Earth’ at the Antarctica Marathon

Forget the sports travel bucket list (for a minute), this is one for the life and career bucket lists. Marathon Tours & Travel is calling on runners, adventurers, storytellers, and content creators from across the world to apply for its most exciting campaign yet – “The Coolest Job on Earth”. This unique competition offers one lucky winner the chance to travel with the company to Antarctica in March 2026 and work behind the scenes at the world-famous Antarctica Marathon. The winner will travel to King George Island in March 2026, joining the Marathon Tours & Travel team in delivery of the Antarctica Marathon, which is held on 19 March 2026. They’ll be given the unique opportunity to experience one of the planet’s most extraordinary running events, and to connect with runners fr...

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24Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Venues & Stadiums

Elevate your sporting experience in Paris

Seine-Saint-Denis was the beating heart of Paris 2024 and a major reason why the French capital has been ranked the world’s top sports city in 2025. Ramy James Salameh discovered the reinvention of the northern Parisian suburbs accelerated by the Olympics. Let me set the scene. I was swimming in France’s highest pool, some 140 metres above the ground beneath a neon sign declaring ‘head in the clouds’ and beside floor-to-ceiling windows looking out upon the gleaming venues of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. I’d checked into the H4 Hotel Wyndham Paris Pleyel Resort in Seine-Saint-Denis a part of northern Paris which encompasses a collection of suburbs beyond the Périphérique, now boosted by the Olympics and evolving into a symbol of creative energy, cultural renewal and sporting legacy...

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18Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Sports Travel, Trends

GCC sports tourism to surge as PwC highlights growth opportunities

Forecast to surpass $2 trillion by 2030, the sports tourism sector is being propelled by mega-events, high-spending fans, active lifestyle movements and the rise of immersive, experience-led travel. But nowhere is this transformation more visible – or more strategically leveraged – than in the countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). According to “Game on for the GCC: Turning sporting ambition into lasting tourism impact”, a new report by PwC Middle East, the region has shifted beyond merely hosting world-class sporting events. It is now developing an integrated sports tourism economy – one that spans infrastructure investment, destination branding, digital innovation and year-round community engagement.  From Saudi Arabia’s record-breaking Esports World Cup, Qatar’...

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18Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Guides, Trends

A guide to cycling in Dubai 

Cycling in Dubai has evolved from a niche weekend pastime into one of the city’s fastest-growing lifestyle trends. Transformed into a world-class destination for cyclists of all levels, purpose-built tracks now weave through deserts, beachfronts and urban skylines, offering everything from leisurely scenic rides to high-performance training grounds.  Whether you’re a recreational rider looking for a safe morning loop, a commuter seeking eco-friendly alternatives, or a road cyclist chasing personal bests, Dubai delivers in style. From the sweeping Al Qudra desert trail to the bustling Nad Al Sheba and Meydan circuits, the city combines immaculate infrastructure with year-round sunshine and a thriving cycling community.  Where to ride in Dubai Located in the desert ap...

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18Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business

All eyes on Ireland as golf’s Ryder Cup heads to Adare Manor in 2027

With Europe clinching a dramatic Ryder Cup victory over the USA at Bethpage Black, all eyes now turn to Ireland as the countdown begins for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, where golf’s greatest team event will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Team Europe stars Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy played pivotal roles in New York, with Lowry delivering the decisive half point that ensured Europe retained the coveted trophy in front of packed galleries. Ireland’s Ryder Cup roots run strong, with Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke among recent captains, having also provided unforgettable moments such as McGinley holing the winning putt in 2002 and Clarke’s performance at the K Club in 2006, when Ireland last hosted the event. The Island of Ireland is no stranger to hostin...

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