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World Rugby and STH partner to enhance Rugby World Cup fan experiences
19Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business

World Rugby and STH partner to enhance Rugby World Cup fan experiences

World Rugby has signed an exclusive agreement with Sports Travel & Hospitality (STH), a Sodexo Live! Company, to redefine the premium fan experience for the next three men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups. The ‘RWC Experiences’ programme will bring fans closer to the action than ever before, offering a wide range of ticket-inclusive packages for England 2025 (women), Australia 2027 (men) and Australia 2029 (women). In line with World Rugby’s core mission of advancing the sport’s relevance and accessibility, the deal will see redefined experiences that cater for a diverse audience in an evolving entertainment landscape. Designed to enhance the matchday experience and create unforgettable experiences, the packages will combine innovative travel and hospitality solutions with interact...
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Rugby league: Super League Magic Weekend 2025 Newcastle

Super League's “Magic Weekend” in 2025 will be held at St James' Park in Newcastle upon Tyne. Scheduled for the early May bank holiday – 3-4 May 2025 – the festival of rugby league will see the famous stadium host six Betfred Super League matches across two days. It will be the 10th anniversary of Super League's first Magic Weekend in Newcastle in 2015, and the eighth time in the subsequent decade that rugby league has staged its unique event at the home of Premier League football club Newcastle United. “I am delighted that the Magic Weekend is once again taking place in our city in 2025, marking the tenth anniversary since we first hosted it,” said Karen Kilgour, leader of Newcastle City Council. “It will be wonderful to welcome thousands of rugby league fans back to Newcastle which...
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G Adventures launches 25 new active travel trips for 2025 
15Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Holidays & Trips

G Adventures launches 25 new active travel trips for 2025 

Small group adventure travel company G Adventures saw a 16% increase in the number of travellers booking an “active” travel trip in 2024. So, to build on this momentum, it has launched 25 new active trips for 2025. Taking travellers to new, lesser-explored regions, destinations for the new active trips include Japan, South Africa, Pakistan, the Balkans, Morocco, the Galapagos and Peru, with a strong focus on supporting local communities in the regions travellers visit. Each trip highlights G Adventures’ commitment to providing the very best active experiences, taking travellers deeper into destinations, in the most immersive yet thrilling ways, from hiking and swimming to cycling and paddling – and more.  Within the new launch, there will be eight new trips in Japan, three in Morocco...
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Rugby union: Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2025 – round five

The 2025 Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship promises to be an electrifying showcase of skill and determination. Running from late March to late April, the tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales in a round-robin format. With England aiming to defend their crown and teams like France and Ireland looking to upset the hierarchy, the stakes are higher than ever. Guinness Women’s Six Nations round five Saturday 26 April: Italy vs. Wales (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma); Scotland vs. Ireland (Hive Stadium, Edinburgh); England vs. France (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
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Rugby union: Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2025 – round four

The 2025 Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship promises to be an electrifying showcase of skill and determination. Running from late March to late April, the tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales in a round-robin format. With England aiming to defend their crown and teams like France and Ireland looking to upset the hierarchy, the stakes are higher than ever. Guinness Women’s Six Nations round four Saturday 19 April: Italy vs. France (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma); England vs. Scotland (Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester) Sunday 20 April: Wales vs. Ireland (Rodney Parade, Newport)  Guinness Women’s Six Nations round five Saturday 26 April: Italy vs. Wales (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma); Scotland vs. Ireland (Hive Stadium, Edinburgh); E...
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Rugby union: Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2025 – round three

The 2025 Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship promises to be an electrifying showcase of skill and determination. Running from late March to late April, the tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales in a round-robin format. With England aiming to defend their crown and teams like France and Ireland looking to upset the hierarchy, the stakes are higher than ever.  Guinness Women’s Six Nations round three Saturday 12 April: France vs. Wales; Ireland v England (Virgin Media Park, Cork) Sunday 13 April: Scotland vs. Italy (Hive Stadium, Edinburgh) Guinness Women’s Six Nations round four Saturday 19 April: Italy vs. France (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma); England vs. Scotland (Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester) Sunday 20 April: Wales vs. Ireland...
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Rugby union: Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2025 – round two

The 2025 Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship promises to be an electrifying showcase of skill and determination. Running from late March to late April, the tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales in a round-robin format. With England aiming to defend their crown and teams like France and Ireland looking to upset the hierarchy, the stakes are higher than ever. Guinness Women’s Six Nations round two Saturday 29 March: France vs. Scotland (Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle); Wales vs. England (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Sunday 30 March: Italy vs. Ireland (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma)  Guinness Women’s Six Nations round three Saturday 12 April: France vs. Wales; Ireland v England (Virgin Media Park, Cork) Sunday 13 April: Scotland vs. Ita...
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Rugby union: Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2025 – round one

The 2025 Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship promises to be an electrifying showcase of skill and determination. Running from late March to late April, the tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales in a round-robin format. With England aiming to defend their crown and teams like France and Ireland looking to upset the hierarchy, the stakes are higher than ever. Guinness Women’s Six Nations round one Saturday 22 March: Ireland vs. France (Kingspan Stadium, Belfast); Scotland vs. Wales (Hive Stadium, Edinburgh) Sunday 23 March: England vs. Italy (LNER Community Stadium, York)  Guinness Women’s Six Nations round two Saturday 29 March: France vs. Scotland (Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle); Wales vs. England (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Sunday ...
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Haute-Savoie’s smaller ski resorts offer big surprises
31Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Holidays & Trips

Haute-Savoie’s smaller ski resorts offer big surprises

Enjoy the familiarity, cosiness and character of smaller ski resorts? If you do, then follow in the snowy footsteps of travel writer, Olly Beckett, as a he carves a route through the Haute-Savoie region of France, shining a light on the area’s smaller ski resorts, often overlooked in favour of Morzine and Le Gets. He discovers plenty of unique advantages for skiers both on and off the pistes. Dotted among the Haute-Savoie’s snowsport superstars such as Morzine and Les Gets are many smaller, but no less sensational resorts. Although the names featured in this story may be new to you, many in France are familiar with them and soon, thanks to the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, you may be too. Although larger resorts have their advantages, in places such as Thollon-Les-Memises ...
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Sport hotel in focus: Emirates Sports Hotel and Apartments, Dubai
29Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Sport hotel in focus: Emirates Sports Hotel and Apartments, Dubai

Dubai’s sports tourism credentials have been boosted with the opening of the Emirates Sports Hotel and Apartments. Located in Dubai Sports City, the property is designed to cater to the unique needs of athletes and sports enthusiasts, offering comprehensive and unique training, nutrition, recovery, and relaxation services. Emirates Sports Hotel and Apartments features eight penthouse apartments, 40 hotel apartments and 144 sports-themed hotel rooms which are equipped for in-room training, a unique offering that ensures athletes can maintain their routines and optimise performance without leaving the comfort of their accommodations. Hotel guests as well as other Dubai visitors can participate in free daily training sessions led by professional coaches.  Surrounding the hotel ...
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The Great Run Company: Gen Z spurs 39% increase in running participation
28Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business

The Great Run Company: Gen Z spurs 39% increase in running participation

The Great Run Company, owners of the world’s biggest half marathon, the Great North Run, has revealed the four core trends identified in 2024 which look set to continue into 2025. Using 2024 participant data from more than 180,000 runners across its portfolio of annual running events, the Great Run Company’s Rewind24 Report highlighted: the love of running is not waning with more and more people taking up the sport new runners are challenging themselves with the distances they take on  the boom in running is being fuelled by Gen Z the gender gap in participation continues to shrink Keep on running: the popularity of running continues at pace with a 39% increase in participation versus 2023, according to growth figures across the Great Run Series, excluding The Great Nor...
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Marathon Tours & Travel release 2025 ‘Aussie Challenge’ packages
28Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Bucket List, Holidays & Trips

Marathon Tours & Travel release 2025 ‘Aussie Challenge’ packages

Running travel specialists Marathon Tours & Travel has released travel packages for two of Australia’s most celebrated marathons in 2025: the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by Asics and the Kangaroo Island Marathon. With only a week separating the two events, participants can also choose to take on the ultimate running adventure by combining both events in the unique ‘Aussie Challenge’. Now an official Abbott World Marathon Major, the 2025 iteration of TCS Sydney Marathon takes place on Sunday 31 August. As one of only seven World Marathon Majors, it promises an electric atmosphere, world-class competition, and the chance to run past some of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Just a week before the TCS Sydney Marathon, on Sunday 24...
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Record ticket sales for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025  
26Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events, Sports Business

Record ticket sales for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025  

The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, taking place in England from 22 August to 27 September, is set to be the biggest sporting event taking place in the UK in 2025. It has already smashed records as the fastest-selling edition of the tournament ever, with more than 220,000 tickets sold to date.  With just over eight months to go until the opening match between England and the USA on 22 August, the continued strong interest in Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has led to ballots for high-demand fixtures, including England’s pool matches and the final at Twickenham Stadium. The surge in demand ensures that it will be the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history. Sarah Massey, managing director of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, said: "The response to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has been remar...
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Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 England 

The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 will take place in eight cities across England from 22 August to 27 September. Record ticket sales has ensured that it will be the largest sports event in the UK in 2025 and also the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history. Sarah Massey, managing director of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, said: "The response to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has been remarkable. England has a proud rugby heritage and a huge appetite for women’s sport, and this has been reflected in the demand for tickets so early on. Breaking records for ticket sales is just the beginning – we’re building towards a tournament that promises to be inclusive, entertaining, and unmissable for fans and players alike. We can’t wait to welcome the world to England next year to celebrate the pin...
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Cricket: The Ashes 2025-2026 fixtures – Australia vs. England

The Ashes 2025-2026 series between Australia and England promises another thrilling chapter in cricket's biggest rivalry. Hosted by Australia, who are the current holders of the Ashes having retained them with a draw in 2023, the series will feature five Test matches at iconic venues, beginning with the opener at Perth Stadium from 21-25 November 2025. Known for its fast and bouncy pitch, Perth will set the tone for the series. The action then moves to The Gabba in Brisbane for a day/night Test from 4-8 December 2025, adding the challenge of the pink ball under lights. The festive season brings the Christmas Test at Adelaide Oval (17-21 December 2025), renowned for its picturesque setting and competitive history. The Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (26-30 December 2025) will a...
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The Ashes 2025-2026: Australia vs. England Test dates and venues 
21Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Guides

The Ashes 2025-2026: Australia vs. England Test dates and venues 

The Ashes, cricket's most storied rivalry, traces its origins to a match played at The Oval in 1882 when Australia secured their first-ever Test win on English soil. A satirical obituary in The Sporting Times lamented the "death of English cricket", sparking the creation of the symbolic urn that represents Ashes supremacy. Since then, this biennial series between England and Australia has become a showcase of cricketing excellence and fierce competition. The Ashes 2025-2026 series between Australia and England promises another thrilling chapter in this saga. Hosted by Australia, who are the current holders of the Ashes having retained them with a draw in 2023, the series will feature five Test matches at iconic venues, beginning with the opener at Perth Stadium from 21-25 November 2025....
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Racquet Trend 2025 Milan

Racket sports trade fair Racquet Trend has announced that its 2025 event in Milan, Italy, will feature its first-ever space dedicated to sports tourism in all its forms. Called “Le Vie dello Sport”, the sports tourism village within Racquet Trend will include specialised travel agencies and tour operators, event organisers and unique accommodation facilities who will promote new sports experiences to enjoy anywhere in the world. Taking place from 7-9 March 2025 at Milan Rho Fair, the event will showcase sports such as tennis, padel, pickleball, badminton, squash, table tennis and beach tennis on the international stage, with 22 courts and more than 220 brands and sponsors in attendance. Racket sports enthusiasts can also enjoy more than 40 masterclasses and clinics held by professio...
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Athletics: Keely Klassic

Olympic 800m champion and newly crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner Keely Hodgkinson has revealed the launch of an exciting new athletics meeting, the Keely Klassic.  Taking place on Saturday 15 February 2025 at Utilita Arena Birmingham, the athletics event will bring together a host of Britain’s world-class track and field talent, culminating in a historic attempt on the longstanding world 800m short track record. The current world record of 1.55.82, set by Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia on 3 March 2002, the day that Hodgkinson was born, gives an added incentive for Hodgkinson to attempt the record.  "I’m beyond excited to announce the Keely Klassic, my first track race since becoming Olympic champion," Hodgkinson said. "This event is all about bringing energy, passion, an...
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2025 World Snooker Championship 

Taking place from 19 April to 5 May 2025, the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, is the pinnacle of professional snooker. Since 1977, the Crucible has been synonymous with this prestigious tournament, which crowns the sport’s world champion.  Organised by the World Snooker Tour, the event carries the highest ranking points and prize money, making it the most coveted title in the sport. The tournament spans 17 days and features a grueling format that tests the players' skill, endurance, and mental resilience. The event begins with 32 competitors – 16 seeded players and 16 qualifiers – engaging in a knockout format. Matches progressively increase in length, culminating in an epic best-of-35 frames final.  The Crucible’s intimate setting is integra...
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Sports travel bucket list: Ontake Distillery in Japan fuses whisky with golf
14Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Editor's Pick, Venues & Stadiums

Sports travel bucket list: Ontake Distillery in Japan fuses whisky with golf

If you’re anything like us – and have a passion for whisky and golf – then you’ll just love Ontake Distillery. Located in Japan’s Kagoshima Mountains, Ontake is the first distillery in the world to feature an on-site 18-hole golf course that is exclusively for cask owners, combining whisky and golf in a way that has never been seen before.  Taking its name from Sakurajima’s three majestic peaks – Kitadake, Nakadake, and Minamidake – Ontake Distillery is perched 400 metres above sea level in the serene mountains of the Satsuma Peninsula.  The golf course  This state-of-the-art distillery not only crafts exceptional award-winning single malt whiskies but also delivers an unparalleled experience for its exclusive cask owners. Ontake has a world-first offering: a private 18-hole ...
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