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Latest news and events

Flying high: professional sport fuels trend towards private jet use
3May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business, Sports Travel

Flying high: professional sport fuels trend towards private jet use

Whilst the majority of us were unable to travel further than our home office, elite athletes and professional sport continued behind closed doors in the past year, despite a series of lockdowns. To enable teams to do this in the safest and most efficient way, many have taken to the skies through private jet charters. Sports Tourism Media spoke to Clive Chalmers, VP Charter UK, at Air Partner to find out more about the rising demand in sports travel and overall trend pointing towards greater private jet travel from other industries too. Private jets have largely been the preserve of royalty, high-net-worth individuals, CEOs and superstars – but are you seeing new clients and demand especially from the sports sector and first-time users?   Over our 60 years in aviation we have worked w...
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£30m relaunch: Apes Hill in Barbados aims to become ‘the best golfing experience in the Caribbean’
3May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business, Sports Travel

£30m relaunch: Apes Hill in Barbados aims to become ‘the best golfing experience in the Caribbean’

A golf performance and teaching centre featuring a state-of-the-art Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), the first of its kind in the Caribbean, will open at Apes Hill Golf & Beach Club in Barbados in January 2022.  Utilising the latest technology and a science-based approach, Apes Hill's Golf Performance and Teaching Centre will evaluate every aspect of a player's game to perfect their swing and unlock their full potential. Apes Hill has worked with experts Dave Phillips and Tim Cutshall in designing and fitting the centre. Key features will include a specialised swing analysis teaching bay with a PuttView ball tracking green and an agnostic club fitting system with trackman technology. Currently undergoing a £30m renovation, Apes Hill Golf & Beach Club is relaunchin...
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Alicante in Spain named as a host city for The Ocean Race Europe 2021
3May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events, Sports Travel

Alicante in Spain named as a host city for The Ocean Race Europe 2021

The inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe will be heading to Alicante after the popular Spanish destination was added as a host city for the sailing spectacular taking place in May and June. Starting in Lorient, France, on 29 May, The Ocean Race Europe will then go to Cascais, Portugal, and Alicante before finishing in Genoa, Italy.  Alicante is very familiar territory for The Ocean Race, as the home of both the race headquarters and the venue for each of the around the world race starts since 2008. “We are very excited that Alicante, the current headquarters of The Ocean Race and the home of The Ocean Race Museum, will host the penultimate stop of this new event, The Ocean Race Europe,” said Antonio Rodes, general director of Sociedad Proyectos Temáticos of the Valencian Region...
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The Jockey Club gets ready to welcome back horse racing fans in May
13Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

The Jockey Club gets ready to welcome back horse racing fans in May

The Jockey Club, owners of 14 racecourses across the UK, has announced that tickets are now on sale for 16 horse racing fixtures in May.  England’s roadmap out of lockdown will see a limited number of fans return to sporting events from 17 May at the earliest - this is the same day that Carlisle Racecourse will host its Flat Speed Ahead event.  Tickets are also available for May race days at Nottingham, Kempton Park, Warwick, Market Rasen, Sandown Park, Haydock Park and Newmarket. To buy tickets for the below events see thejockeyclub.co.uk Flat Speed Ahead at Carlisle RacecourseWhen: 17 May Tickets: from £15; under-18s go free Afternoon Racing at Nottingham RacecourseWhen: 18 May Tickets: from £15; under-18s go free Floodlit Racing at Kempton Park RacecourseWhen: 19 May Tick...
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Barbarians to face Samoa in the Killik Cup at Twickenham
13Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

Barbarians to face Samoa in the Killik Cup at Twickenham

Rugby union fans will get the chance to watch some free-flowing attacking rugby this autumn when the Barbarians take on Samoa in the Killik Cup.  The match takes place at Twickenham Stadium in London on Saturday 27 November and tickets go on general sale at 10am on Thursday 15 April. Available from Ticketmaster, ticket prices start from £35 for adults and £15 for children. VIP and hospitality packages will be available from £119 per person via twickenhamstadium.com It will be just the second time the teams have met, the first being at London’s Olympic Park ahead of Rugby World Cup 2015, which marked the first-ever rugby match at the venue.  John Spencer, president of Barbarian FC, said: “We are very happy to announce our 2021 Killik Cup fixture this November and look forward ...
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Qatar promotes sand dunes experiences to entice skiers and snowboarders
11Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Travel

Qatar promotes sand dunes experiences to entice skiers and snowboarders

Skiers and snowboarders who missed out on their annual snow holiday are being offered an alternative: the desert sand dunes of Qatar. Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has launched a partnership with Q Explorer Tourism to give ski and snowboard fans the opportunity to get their annual adrenaline fix - with the tour company offering up to a third off the price of sand sports experiences until September 2021. The spectacular dunes of Khor Al Adaid, otherwise known as the Inland Sea, offer a mesmerising alternative to tried and tested ski slopes and are waiting to be discovered by adventure-loving travellers. Skiers and snowboarders are reminded to pack their sunscreen - to avoid goggle marks from the warm winter sun. Q Explorer Tourism is promoting three package deals for day tr...
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2021 French Open tennis grand slam in Paris now set to start on 24 May
11Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

2021 French Open tennis grand slam in Paris now set to start on 24 May

The start of the 2021 French Open tennis grand slam has been postponed by a week due to the Covid-19 situation in France. Now set to take place from 24 May to 13 June, the decision to delay the clay court major at Roland-Garros has been made in order to accommodate more fans. Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation, said: “I am delighted that the discussions with the public authorities, the governing bodies of international tennis, our partners and broadcasters, and the ongoing work with the WTA and ATP, have made it possible for us to postpone the 2021 Roland-Garros tournament by a week. I thank them for this.  “It will give the health situation more time to improve and should optimise our chances of welcoming spectators at Roland-Garros, into our newly-transforme...
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World Surf League: 2021 Rip Curl WSL Finals to be held in September
11Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

World Surf League: 2021 Rip Curl WSL Finals to be held in September

The World Surf League (WSL) has announced an updated events calendar for the remaining 2021 Championship Tour (CT) leading into the 2021 Rip Curl WSL Finals in September. The tour includes a stop in Mexico for the first time in 15 years and the women surfing Teahupo’o for the first time since 2006.  Following the fourth and final event of the current Australian leg, the CT will continue as follows (all tour stops and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions):  Jeep Surf Ranch Pro: California, USA (25-27 June 2021) Corona Open Mexico presented by Quiksilver: Barra de La Cruz, Mexico (5-15 July 2021) Oi Rio Pro presented by Corona: Saquarema, Brazil (11-16 August 2021) Outerknown Tahiti Pro: Teahupo’o, Tahiti (22...
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World Sports Tourism Congress: Catalonia event confirmed for November 2021
5Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

World Sports Tourism Congress: Catalonia event confirmed for November 2021

After being postponed in May last year, it has now been confirmed that the World Sports Tourism Congress is rescheduled for 25-26 November 2021. Organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Catalan Tourist Board (Agència Catalana de Turisme), the event will be held in Lloret de Mar, Catalonia, Spain. In a statement on its website, the UNWTO said: “Sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism. More and more tourists are interested in sport activities during their trips whether sports are the main objective of travel or not. Sport events of various kinds and sizes attract tourists as participants or spectators and destinations try to add local flavours to them to distinguish themselves and provide authentic local experiences. Sports events can be a catalyst ...
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Regeneration and sustainability the core messages of AdventureELEVATE Virtual Europe
5Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business

Regeneration and sustainability the core messages of AdventureELEVATE Virtual Europe

By Ramy James Salameh On 24-25 March 2021 Sports Tourism Media attended a travel industry conference developed by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) called ‘AdventureELEVATE Virtual Europe’. This powerful two-day conference brought together key players from the adventure travel community, both in Europe and further afield. It was billed as being "focused on moving the industry forward with a regenerative eye in order to build healthy and future-proof tourism".  Whilst Covid-19 continues to impact every part of our lives, it has also highlighted the fragility of our existence and environment, bringing into sharp focus our own communities, the need to support people within those communities and find innovative ways to protect, preserve and promote areas close to home an...
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British & Irish Lions intend to tour South Africa as planned in 2021
28Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

British & Irish Lions intend to tour South Africa as planned in 2021

After months of speculation the British & Irish Lions rugby union team have confirmed they intend to tour South Africa as planned this summer.  There had been reports that the series could be moved to the UK or even played in Australia. However, in an update issued on 23 March the Lions and SA Rugby said they are “aligned on delivering the Castle Lager Lions Series in South Africa in the scheduled playing window”.  Jason Leonard, chairman of the British & Irish Lions, said: “After reviewing information relating to the various contingency scenarios being considered, I can confirm that the board’s intended position is for the tour to go ahead as scheduled in South Africa in 2021. “We acknowledge that there is a significant amount of work still to be undertaken to d...
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World Rally Championship: Acropolis Rally Greece added to 2021 WRC calendar
28Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

World Rally Championship: Acropolis Rally Greece added to 2021 WRC calendar

Greece will return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time in eight years after the fabled Acropolis Rally Greece was added to the 2021 calendar. The gruelling gravel road event forged a reputation as one of the WRC’s iconic fixtures after joining the inaugural season in 1973, and WRC Promoter has finalised a multi-year agreement with the Greek government for the Acropolis to return. It will form round ten of the 2021 season on 9-12 September, replacing Copec Rally Chile which has been cancelled due to continued travel and other governmental restrictions amid the pandemic. The Acropolis was first held in 1951. It became regarded as one of the WRC’s toughest rounds, as twisty and rocky mountain roads combined with intense heat and choking dust to provide a fier...
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Follow in the snowy footsteps of Petra Vlhova in Slovakia’s Liptov Region
23Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Travel

Follow in the snowy footsteps of Petra Vlhova in Slovakia’s Liptov Region

It reads like a Hollywood movie script. "Hometown girl skies to victory on the very slopes where she learnt to ski as a child, before going on to become the Alpine World Cup ski champion." Well this is not fiction but the true story of Petra Vlhova, who made history by becoming the first person in Slovakia to win the overall title. Having snaked to victory in the Giant Slalom at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup competition on the slopes of the Jasna Ski Resort, in the Low Tatras Mountains of Slovakia she was well on her way to collecting the world title just a couple of weeks later. She is a super star in Slovakia, not just for her prowess on the slopes, but also for never forgetting her roots and this was most evident with her emotional victory in the Giant Slalom on 7 March 2021. As she ...
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LaLiga and Rafa Nadal Academy sign three-year collaboration deal
23Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

LaLiga and Rafa Nadal Academy sign three-year collaboration deal

Spanish football’s LaLiga and the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar have signed a collaboration agreement to share experience and knowledge and mutually reinforce the reputation of both brands nationally and internationally. The alliance, which covers the next three years, will see the football and tennis organisations offer two-way support and launch a series of joint projects and initiatives. Javier Tebas, LaLiga president, said: “Our alliance with the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar represents another step forward in our bid to expand the world of sport. Rafa and his team will help to promote the values that are fundamental to us and to give even greater visibility to the LaLiga brand.” Men’s tennis world No.3 Rafa Nadal added: “Since we opened the Academy in 2016, we’ve grown consist...
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British Rally Championship 2021 season to start at Oulton Park Circuit
21Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

British Rally Championship 2021 season to start at Oulton Park Circuit

The iconic Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire will provide the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship with a history-making opening round of the 2021 season as the series commences with the Neil Howard Stages in association with Graham Coffey & Co. Solicitors on 31 May. Despite announcing its six-round calendar of events recently, British Rally Championship organisers have since been offered the opportunity to open the season at the Cheshire circuit in May, bringing an additional asphalt event to the schedule. The impressive circuit played host to the opening special stage of Wales Rally GB in 2019 which provided a unique and challenging backdrop for the best rally drivers in the world. That setting will now provide the starting point for the BRC elite in what is sure to be a c...
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BTCC 2021 calendar: TOCA confirms minor revisions
21Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events, Guides

BTCC 2021 calendar: TOCA confirms minor revisions

TOCA, organiser of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, has confirmed minor revisions to the previously issued 2021 BTCC calendar as a result of the government recently issuing its roadmap for the easing of restrictions. While the opening race weekend – at Thruxton on 8/9 May – remains unchanged and will unfortunately take place behind closed doors, amendments have been made to the scheduling of the next two events in order to further maximise the opportunity for spectators to attend. The revised calendar sees the Snetterton event now scheduled for 12/13 June. The Brands Hatch Indy circuit event will be two weeks later, on 26/27 June, as all substantial spectator restrictions are expected to have been lifted by then. No further changes have been made to the previously is...
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A Question of Sport Live UK tour: tickets, event dates and cities
15Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

A Question of Sport Live UK tour: tickets, event dates and cities

The BBC’s popular sports quiz show, A Question of Sport, will celebrate its 50th year by going on an all-new live tour around the United Kingdom in 2021.  Starring long-time host Sue Barker and team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell – along with a host of big-name guests from across the sporting world – A Question of Sport Live is the perfect way for fans to see the hit show up close and say farewell as the trio depart from their roles.  A Question of Sport Live follows the popular format of the TV show and features many of the rounds and challenges. It is also truly interactive as audience members will be able to get involved in some rounds, including the traditional “Sprint Finish” finale. “I cannot believe 2021 marks 24 years since I first joined A Question of Sport and I c...
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2021 Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix confirmed for 2 May
14Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Events

2021 Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix confirmed for 2 May

Formula 1 has announced that the Heineken Portuguese Grand Prix in Portimão will return this season between 30 April and 2 May, as part of the record breaking 23-race 2021 FIA F1 World Championship.  Last October, Portugal returned to the F1 calendar for the first time in 25 years, with Lewis Hamilton winning ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.  Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, said: “We are thrilled to announce that Formula 1 will be racing again in Portimão after the huge success of the race last year. We want to thank the promoter and the Portuguese Government for their hard work and dedication in getting us to this point.  “We are confident and excited about our 2021 season, having shown last year that we could deliver 17 races safely and ...
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Golf in Scotland | Gifts and experiences
14Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Golf in Scotland | Gifts and experiences

Scotland is the home of golf and boasts some of the best courses in the world. Here, we pick out some of the best Scottish golf breaks and experiences on offer from our affiliate partners such as BuyAGift.com, Red Letter Days, Expedia and LastMinute.com.  Editor’s note: Sports Tourism Media works in partnership with a number of affiliate companies, so we may earn a commission should you choose to book any deals or packages. All details are provided by affiliate partners. Prices subject to change and correct at the time of publishing.  Scotland holidays and hotels LastMinute.com Scotland holidays: lastminute.com/holidays/scotland Scotland hotels: lastminute.com/hotels/scotland The Kingdom of Fife Tee off at over 45 golf courses in The Kingdom of Fife Hotels in Fi...
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African Sports Tourism Week to stage sports tourism masterclass in Nigeria
13Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments
Sports Business, Sports Travel

African Sports Tourism Week to stage sports tourism masterclass in Nigeria

African Sports Tourism Week, the premier pan-African sports travel trade event, will be staging a sports tourism masterclass from 21-24 April 2021 in Nigeria. Taking place at Ibom Icon Hotel & Golf Resorts in Uyo, the masterclass will attract delegates from sports commissions, ministries and associations as well as tourism boards and ministries. Organisers of the event said: “The masterclass was conceived out of the concern for how opportunities in sporting events, especially, aren’t being maximised, because sports and tourism have always stood aloof to each other, in Nigeria.”  Held under a theme of "Understanding How Collaboration between Sport and Tourism Works, for Socioeconomic Benefits To Destinations", the event will seek to address strategies, framework for collab...
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