Events

22Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

Charlotte Hornets star Willy Hernangomez urges NBA to host a game in Spain

Charlotte Hornets centre Willy Hernangomez has urged the NBA to expand its international series by hosting a future match in his homeland Spain.  Madrid-born Hernangomez and his French team-mate Nicolas Batum will line up for the Hornets against the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Paris Game 2020 on 24 January.  The 25-year-old is looking forward to the game in France, but is pleading with the NBA to start planning for further events. He said: “Personally, I think it’s great for me and Nico Batum, the European players to have the opportunity to play an NBA game in Europe. “Hope it will be in Spain soon, but it will be great to see my family and friends, they want to fly there for sure. But for the NBA, I think it’s great to show the world how the NBA works and the game.  “I ...

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22Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

MLB World Series to generate $6.5m economic impact for Washington DC

Washington Nationals’s qualification to the 2019 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series is set to generate a $6.5m economic impact for Washington DC. Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organisation for the US capital city, has announced that the impact will come from two World Series home games against the Houston Astros on Friday 25 October and Saturday 26 October.  Both matches will be played at Nationals Park in the Capitol Riverfront neighbourhood in south-east DC with the potential of a fifth game on Sunday 27 October. “The World Series is an amazing opportunity for the Washington Nationals, their fans and the economic impact for the nation’s capital,” said Elliott L. Ferguson II, president and CEO, Destination DC.  “We’re excited to showcase Washington DC ...

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16Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

F1 Miami GP economic impact: $400m, 35,000 room nights and 4,000 new jobs

Formula 1 has announced that it has agreed in principle a deal with the Hard Rock Stadium to host the first-ever F1 Miami Grand Prix. Should it join the United States Grand Prix on the F1 calendar, it’s predicted that the F1 Miami GP could have an economic impact of more than $400m (£311.8m) and bring in 35,000 hotel room nights in South Florida.  The event would also create 4,000 new jobs, according to the organisers. F1.com reports that should the race be given the green light in a vote by the Miami-Dade County on 28 October, it would see Formula 1 return to the state of Florida for the first time since the 1959 United Stated Grand Prix at Sebring. Announcing the agreement, Hard Rock Stadium vice-chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel and F1’s managing director commercial operations Sean Bra...

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12Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

2021 World Athletics Championships: an ‘unparalleled opportunity’ to showcase Oregon

Following the conclusion of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, the countdown is now on to the next edition of the event which takes place for the first time in the United States.  The 2021 World Athletics Championships will be held from 6-15 August in Eugene, Oregon - better known as “TrackTown USA”. Hayward Field at the University of Oregon will welcome thousands of athletics fans and nearly 2,000 competitors from more than 200 countries for one of the biggest sporting events in 2021. Oregon governor Kate Brown said: “We could not be prouder to bring the World Championships to the United States for the first time ever, and it is only fitting that TrackTown USA serve as the host.  “Oregon is a running mecca, and we are excited to bring the globe’s elite athletes...

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7Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Holidays & Trips

Milwaukee Bucks stars: NBA Paris Game ‘amazing for the sport’

Greek basketball stars Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo are excited about returning to Europe to play in the NBA’s first ever regular-season match in France in January 2020.  The brothers will feature for the Milwaukee Bucks in the inaugural NBA Paris Game against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday 24 January at the AccorHotels Arena.  When asked about playing in the French capital city Thanasis Antetokounmpo said: “It’s amazing for the sport. We’re European, so we understand how huge this is, having a game in a place like Paris.  “It’s going to be really exciting for fans all over the world to come watch. I know people are travelling from all around Europe, from Africa, to come see the game in Paris, so it’s an exciting thing. It’s amazing.”  Giannis Antetokounmpo added: “It’s going to...

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30Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Tuscan Tennis Holidays launch hosted trips to 2020 Rome Masters

Tuscan Tennis Holidays has announced details of its hosted trips to the Rome Masters in May 2020. Hosted by company founder Ian Campbell and Laura Middleton, there will be two tennis tours to the Italian capital city where guests can play at a local clay-court club and also watch the ATP Tour stars in action at the tournament. Tuscan Tennis Holidays say that option number one (10-14 May) will allow guests to watch the early rounds of the Rome Masters and have the opportunity to watch the players practice. Option two (14-18 May) will include tickets to the latter stages of the tournament.  Flights and transfers are not included so guests just need to get to Rome.  Once there Ian and Laura, who are both fluent Italian speakers, will take care of everything else. Local accommodation touri...

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29Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Mischa Zverev to host tennis camp at Amilla Fushi resort in the Maldives

Guests at Amilla Fushi luxury resort in the Maldives will be served up a sporting treat in November with a tennis camp hosted by Mischa Zverev. The German ATP Tour professional will provide guests with a daily programme of high-energy drills, technical skills and competition tactics during the camp from 23-27 November 2019. Aimed at players aged 12 and above, and open to all skill levels from beginners to budding professionals, the camp will see the 32-year-old lead daily two-hour group sessions focussing on aspects such as groundstroke, forehand and backhand training; volley and tactics strategy sessions; and footwork practice.  The Tennis Camp by Mischa Zverev is complimentary and exclusive to guests of Amilla Fushi. The resort has two floodlit hard courts, complimentary equipment hire a...

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29Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

BLAST Pro Series 2019 global final can bring ‘lasting esports legacy’ to Bahrain

Bahrain’s minister of youth and sports affairs, Ayman Tawfiq Almoayyed, believes the BLAST Pro Series global final can have a lasting legacy on the country’s esports industry.  It’s been announced that the 2019 final of the esports tournament will be held in Bahrain from 13-14 December and it is expected to be the biggest esports event ever in the Middle East region. Almoayyed said: “Esports is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. Bahrainis are passionate fans and players, and we are excited by the opportunity to bring this world-class tournament to the kingdom.  “We look forward to hosting the teams and their fans from around the world, and building a lasting legacy for the sport in Bahrain and beyond.” ‘Engaging and interactive’ The 2019 BLAST Pro Series fea...

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29Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

Boston the ‘perfect setting’ for the 2020 Laver Cup tennis event

Tennis legend John McEnroe has described Boston as a “phenomenal sports town” after it was announced that next year’s Laver Cup will be held at TD Garden from 25-27 September 2020. The Laver Cup is a men’s tennis competition featuring two six-player teams, Europe and the World. Played over three days, each day sees four matches on court (three singles and one doubles).  After Team Europe beat Team World 13-11 in Geneva, Switzerland, in September 2019 it was confirmed that the 2020 edition will be heading Stateside for a second time. The inaugural event was held in Prague in 2017, followed by Chicago (2018) and Geneva (2019). Home to the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics, the 19,600-seat TD Garden arena welcomes more than 3.5 million people at its 200 annual sporting, music an...

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25Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

NFL stadium tours start at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October

American football fans in the UK can now book the chance to go on an NFL stadium tour at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.  The “NFL Experience” - the first NFL stand-alone visitor attraction outside of the United States - starts on 7 October and bookings can be made for selected dates and times throughout October and November.  NFL fans can enjoy a 90-minute guided tour, which includes access to the NFL Locker Room and the opportunity to see the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the NFL Commissioner's Suite. Booking for the NFL Experience can be made at tottenhamhotspur.com 2019 NFL London games This year the new Spurs stadium will host NFL London games for the first time.  On Sunday 6 October the Chicago Bears play the Oakland Raiders and on Sunday 13 October the Carolina Panthers fa...

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12Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Bermuda Championship: PGA Tour golf event to have ‘significant economic benefit’

PGA Tour golfers will head to Bermuda in October for the inaugural Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton.  The first annual PGA Tour golf event to be held on the island will take place from 31 October to 3 November and tickets are now on sale.  At the announcement in June it was confirmed that the Bermuda Tourism Authority has signed a five-year agreement as the title sponsor.  Economic benefit Kevin Dallas, CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, said: “The Bermuda Tourism Authority is thrilled to have secured this pinnacle event in golf for Bermuda’s tourism industry and community.  “We’ve had our sights set on a PGA Tour partnership because of the significant economic benefit the event itself will generate for Bermuda’s economy as well as t...

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11Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Guides

2020 British Rally Championship to have six rounds in six countries

The 2020 calendar has been announced for the British Rally Championship (BRC) with six rounds taking place in six countries.  Next year Britain’s premier rallying series will see events held across the UK in Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The series will once again visit Belgium for the Ypres Rally and also head to Ireland for the West Cork Rally. Iain Campbell, the BRC championship manager, said: “Plans are well underway for the 2020 championship season.  “The announcement of the calendar shows our commitment to providing the best all round package for events for our competitors and spectators. We have a mix of short, sharp one-day shootouts to longer, tougher international events.  “Our calendar allows competitors to compete on some iconic stages against some of the b...

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10Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Rugby World Cup: 90% of the 1.8m available tickets have been sold

Organisers have revealed that sales are “exceeding all expectations” for official 2019 Rugby World Cup travel and hospitality packages. It has also been announced that more than 90% of the 1.8m available tickets have now been sold and demand continues to be strong in the final days before the 20-nation event begins. The opening match is on 20 September and the final takes place in Yokohama on 2 November. All-inclusive experience Figures released by STH Japan - the official hospitality and supporter tour providers - paint an exciting picture for Asia's first Rugby World Cup. The official travel programme has exceeded all initial targets, with more than 132,000 tickets sold to fans wanting an all-inclusive experience and a once-in-a-lifetime blend of Japanese culture and world-class rug...

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10Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

US Open 2019: record 737,872 fans attend tennis grand slam in New York 

An all-time attendance record was set at this year’s US Open tennis grand slam in New York.  According to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) the event saw 737,872 fans visit the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre during the two weeks of the main draw. The main Arthur Ashe Stadium sold out for 23 of the 24 sessions. Combined with the record 115,355 attendance during US Open Fan Week, the US Open’s total three-week attendance surpassed 850,000 for the first time at 853,227. Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu won the US Open men’s and women’s singles titles respectively.   Stars out to watch men’s final Nadal’s thrilling five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final was watched by a host of celebrities at Flushing Meadows.  In the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadiu...

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9Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

Singapore gears up for the 2019 Formula 1 Grand Prix festival

Formula 1 fans are counting down the days until the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix - the motor sport’s popular night race. The 15th round of the 2019 F1 season will be held in the Southeast Asian city-state from 20-22 September, with practice on the Friday, qualifying on the Saturday and the grand prix on the Sunday (1.10pm start UK time).  On-track action at the Marina Bay Street Circuit will see five-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton go head-to-head with Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel.  Meanwhile, off the track the hotels, bars, clubs and tourist attractions are preparing for the ten-day Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS), which starts on 13 September.  Exclusive VIP parties, virtual reality race-theme...

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9Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Hotels & Resorts

Portugal Masters 2019: Thomas Bjørn to play in Algarve’s top golf event

European Ryder Cup-winning captain Thomas Bjørn will return to play at the Portugal Masters for the first time in four years. Held at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, the Portugal Masters will see many top European Tour players return to the Algarve from 24-27 October.  Bjørn, who led Team Europe to Ryder Cup victory in 2018, told EuropeanTour.com: “I have always enjoyed playing in Portugal. I have fond memories of the country as I reached the milestone of ten victories there nearly ten years ago.  “A number of my fellow players have a lot of great things to say about this tournament, so I’m looking forward to coming back in October.”  Championship director Peter Adams added: “With just a few short weeks to go until we return to Vilamoura, we are all very excited for this y...

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28Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Rise in international paddlers for 2019 Vaka Eiva in the Cook Islands

This year’s Vaka Eiva canoe racing festival in the Cook Islands will see an increase in international paddlers taking part.  The Matson Vaka Eiva - the biggest event on the Cook Islands’s sporting calendar - will take place from 22-29 November and is the 16th edition of the festival. It will feature the coveted Pacific Cup and Pacific Paddle trophies for the open women and men’s 36km race around Rarotonga. Eva Allsworth, the Matson Vaka Eiva event coordinator, said: “Preparations for the event are going well, with the number of international paddlers already up by 15-20% in comparison to last year. “We are extremely thrilled to bring the juniors ‘Oe Mapu’ event back after a three-year hiatus and will be hosting this across two days. The event has been made even more exciting as we hav...

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25Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Event focus: 2019 Scottish Golf Tourism Week, Fairmont St Andrews

The 4th Scottish Golf Tourism Week (SGTW) will see more than 90 golf organisations participate in the event at the five-star Fairmont resort in St Andrews. Taking place from 28 October to 1 November 2019, SGTW features familiarisation trips around Scotland, a gala dinner and more than 4,000 face-to-face meetings between industry buyers and suppliers.   According to the organisers last year’s event is expected to directly contribute £19.1m worth of additional business to Scotland by 2021, and it’s expected that the 2019 edition will be even more successful.  What the organisers say Tom Lovering, event organiser: “We’re hugely excited to be returning to Fairmont St Andrews. We identified that there was a gap in the market for an event such as this and, following a full evaluation, we wer...

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24Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Palma Marathon travel and hotel packages available for Mallorca event

A number of hotels are offering special marathon packages for the 2019 Palma Marathon in Mallorca on 13 October.  Held on one of the most picturesque marathon routes in Europe, the breathtaking course traverses through the Balearic Island capital of Palma and its old town, alongside the promenade of Palma Bay following the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and past the emblematic medieval cathedral known as “La Seu”.  There are three race options for visitors wishing to participate. The full marathon and half marathon will both begin at 9am and the 10k race will start at 9.45am.  Following the race there will be two event ceremonies and an after-race party held for participants starting at 7.30pm in the Mega Park at Playa de Palma.  Palma Marathon travel information For 2019, ...

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27Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Sports travel ideas: wild swimming and stay at Loch Melfort Hotel in Scotland

Loch Melfort Hotel on the coast of Argyll in the Scottish Highlands is offering a Corryvreckan wild swimming travel package in August. The hotel is partnering with swimming experience experts SwimTrek to offer a unique two-night stay which includes a fully guided swim across the Corryvreckan, Scotland’s most iconic open water swims.  During tides, this spectacular narrow straight is transformed into the third largest whirlpool in the world and is famous for its standing waves.  Post swim, guests are invited to warm up in Loch Melfort’s cosy lounge, accompanied by their favourite whisky dram and uninterrupted views over isles of the Inner Hebrides. About the Corryvreckan wild swimming package Where: Loch Melfort Hotel, Arduaine, Argyll, PA34 4XG, Scotland Available dates: 14 August ...

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