From the Paris Olympics to the Euros in Germany and ‘racketeering’ (a term coined by Globetrender to describe the increasing popularity of playing tennis, pickleball and padel on holiday), sports tourism boomed last year.
It’s a craze that looks set to continue. According to the UN’s World Tourism Organisation, sport is one of the fastest-growing industry sectors, with rising numbers of travellers interested in participating or watching some form of sweat-inducing activity — something that upcoming mega events, such as the UEFA Champions League Final in Munich (May) and the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina (February 2026), are sure to accelerate further.
Another staple in the sporting calendar is Formula 1, which kicks off the season next month when Sir Lewis Hamilton will make his much talked-about move to Scuderia Ferrari.
During the Monaco race in May, Explora II, the second ship in the Explora Journeys cruise fleet, will dock for five nights in Port Hercule, a mere 150m (about 500ft) from the track. Motorsport enthusiasts staying in Ocean Residences or Penthouses can book a place in the Paddock Club, which includes a pit-lane walkabout, VIP access to the paddock, a gourmet lunch, and up-close seats for all the action.
In golf, the Cabot Collection which owns resorts around the world, recently announced investment in Lofoten Links, an 18-hole course set on the dramatic coastline of Norway’s remote Lofoten Islands.
Players can perfect their swing under the (possible) Northern Lights in winter (above) or the midnight sun, before bedding down in a Nordic-style lodge.
Meanwhile, in El Salvador’s surfing hotspot El Zonte, on the Pacific coast, Wave House is a new high-end, residence-only property aimed at those searching for their next point break.
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Dawn Chorus: Heathrow gives its VIP terminal a facelift and King Charles’s Land Rover Defender comes up for saleA Land Rover Defender 90 ‘supplied new in 2010 for the sole use of King Charles’ — with ‘minor wear to the driver’s seat’ — is due to be auctioned off towards the end of the month.
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On the far side of the HimalayasOne writer goes in search of superfood apricots, fairy meadows and some of Nature's most dramatic landscapes in Pakistan's far north.
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
