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Football tourism: a £1.4bn economic impact for the UK
Sports Business, Sports Travel

Football tourism: a £1.4bn economic impact for the UK

VisitBritain research has revealed the importance of football in driving inbound tourism to the UK and in boosting visitor spending. The tourism body’s Football Tourism in the UK report published on 20 October found that overseas visitors who went to a football match spent £1.4bn across the UK in total during their trip in 2019, up 84% on the £742m spent in 2011 when the research was last conducted. There were 1.5 million visits to the UK in 2019 that included watching a live football match, up 66% compared to 2011 when there were 909,000 visits. Visitors who attended a football match also spent more and stayed longer, spending £909 per visit on average, 31% more than the global visitor average of £696 in 2019, and staying ten nights compared to seven. It is not just leisure visi...
Ambassador Cruise Line adds Cricketing Legends cruise for 2022
Holidays & Trips, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Ambassador Cruise Line adds Cricketing Legends cruise for 2022

If you like cruises, cricket and Christmas markets then you’re in luck - Ambassador Cruise Line has added a five-night cricket-themed cruise to next year’s schedule.  Departing on Sunday 11 December 2022, Ambassador’s Ambience ship will sail from London Tilbury and call into Hamburg, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.  Hosted by BBC broadcaster Garry Richardson, Ambassador’s Cricketing Legends cruise will bring you up close and personal with some of the finest players ever to play the game. Legends joining guests on board the Ambience include David Gower, Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, Devon Malcolm, Ray East and John (JK) Lever.  A number of events will be held during the five days. The legends will discuss their cricketing experiences as well as take part in quizzes such as A Que...
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022: calendar and host cities
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022: calendar and host cities

World Rugby has confirmed the schedule for the 2022 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series as the sport looks to capitalise on a successful Olympics in Tokyo. The 2022 series will feature ten men’s and seven women’s rounds over six months, kicking off with a pair of combined men’s and women’s events in Dubai. The Emirates Dubai Sevens will host a behind closed doors round on 26-27 November 2021, followed by a second event on 3-4 December with fans in attendance at The Sevens Stadium. The series will then return to Europe as Spain plays host for the first time with combined men’s and women’s events in Malaga and Seville on 21-23 January and 28-30 January 2022 respectively. The new venues in Spain temporarily replace traditional series hosts Sydney, Australia, and Hamilton, New Zealand, who w...
‘Magnificent’: Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort to open in 2022
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

‘Magnificent’: Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort to open in 2022

After huge success with Cabot Cape Breton in Canada’s Nova Scotia, the Cabot brand is now turning its attention to the Caribbean with the launch of the Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort in 2022. Situated on Point Hardy, a spectacular 375-acre peninsula on the northern tip of the Caribbean island, the master planned resort community is surrounded by raw, untouched natural beauty.  Described as “magnificent” by Golf Business News, the resort will feature an 18-hole golf course designed by Coore & Crenshaw and a collection of residences ranging from hillside townhouses to expansive single-family homes and beachfront lots. Health and wellness will be a major focus of the Saint Lucia development, with a beach club, spa and fitness facility, steam and sauna, and sports programme o...
E-Bike Grand Prix: Dubai to host first race of new series
Events, Sports Business

E-Bike Grand Prix: Dubai to host first race of new series

E-Bike Grand Prix (EBK GP), a new international cycling sport, will launch its inaugural series in 2022 and the first race will be held in Dubai, UAE. The ten-race grand prix series will showcase groundbreaking E-Bike technology while working with global host cities to raise awareness of climate change challenges and promote cleaner, healthier cities. The series will take place in cities around the world, with races along public roads, showcasing iconic landmarks and cultural sites, as part of a high-speed, thrilling sporting spectacle. Coverage of the Dubai event and the series will be broadcast internationally via television and digital media. Ten competing franchise teams will each field two squads, one male and one female, and BMC Switzerland will be the exclusive bike partner, ...
Ireland’s best outdoor activities: hiking, surfing and more
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Ireland’s best outdoor activities: hiking, surfing and more

From walking the Mourne Mountains to surfing in Donegal, Ireland is home to a wealth of unmissable experiences to add to the top of your bucket list. Here the team from Tourism Ireland round up some of the must-do activities across the island.  Mourne Mountains walking and hiking – County Down The Mourne Mountains are famous for their challenging peaks and gentle slopes that offer rewarding and unparalleled views. Join an expert guided walking tour and hear incredible stories about the landscape that inspired C.S Lewis’ magical world of Narnia from Peter Rafferty who views the mountains as his playground. Today, the Mourne Mountains offer an idyllic place to pause and reflect, but if the stones could speak they would tell wild tales of soldiers and smugglers from years gone by. Foll...
Quinta do Lago launches pro-athlete training breaks at The Campus
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Quinta do Lago launches pro-athlete training breaks at The Campus

Quinta do Lago resort on the Algarve, Portugal, has launched its new “Pro-Athlete Training Break” packages which are tailor-made for athletes who are in between competition seasons.  Located 15 minutes from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago is a renowned sporting destination which offers elite training facilities at its new multi-sports hub, The Campus. It is the ideal destination for training, rehabilitation and recovery with more than 300 days of warm sunshine per year and at least 12 hours of daylight each day. The resort offers relaxed accommodation at The Magnolia Hotel combined with a hive of activity in the surrounding regions and provides a safe, secure and Covid friendly environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiHfxY-Q-OY About the packages The Pro-Athlete Trai...
Ski instructor marketplace Maison Sport expands to Scotland
Scotland, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Ski instructor marketplace Maison Sport expands to Scotland

Maison Sport, a platform created to connect people with the best independent ski and snowboard instructors, will expand into all major winter sports resorts in Scotland, including Cairngorm Mountain, Glencoe Mountain, Glenshee, Lowther Hills, Nevis Range and The Lecht. Building on success in France, Italy and Switzerland, the expansion will support instructors whose qualifications are recognised across Europe, but will now be unable to work in Europe this winter unless they find a way to obtain a work visa. Each instructor will have gained approval from the local ski resort that they can work alongside other ski schools in the area. Co-founder and CEO Nick Robinson, a former member of the British ski team, said: “Covid-19 and Brexit have undoubtedly hit the ski industry hard, but we...
Destination Sport Experiences launched by Portman Travel Group
Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Destination Sport Experiences launched by Portman Travel Group

Destination Sport Experiences has been launched by Portman Travel Group and joins Clarity Sports, Sportsbreaks.com, inspiresport and Amaze in the group’s ​​growing sports travel division. Catering for athletes who want to participate in the best events around the world, Destination Sport Experiences will offer travel packages and guaranteed entry to marathons, cyclosportives and long distance triathlons. It will also offer VIP hospitality access to many of the top professional cycling events, starting with L’Etape du Tour 2022 which is available now. L’Étape du Tour is an organised mass participation cyclosportive event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as the Tour de France stage. Taking place on Sunday 10 July 2022, it will replicate Stage 12 of the 2022 Tou...
Three German cities at ‘candidate phase’ to host NFL games
Sports Business, Sports Travel

Three German cities at ‘candidate phase’ to host NFL games

The National Football League (NFL) has confirmed that three cities in Germany are in discussions to host regular-season games. The NFL, which has staged 30 matches in London since 2007, is aiming to find a partner city for a possible expansion of the International Series into Germany. After an initial period in which expressions of interest were received from multiple cities, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich have been invited to proceed to the “candidate phase” of the process. Those cities will now participate in deeper conversations about staging games in Germany. “Regular-season games are a key part of continuing the development of our German fan base by creating more excitement for the sport and more connectivity with fans and communities,” said Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe a...
NBA and Formula 1 reveal promotional partnership
Sports Business

NBA and Formula 1 reveal promotional partnership

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Formula 1 (F1) has announced a first-of-its-kind content and promotion partnership. This will bring together the global fanbases of both brands in celebration of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary season and the return of F1 to the United States at the 2021 F1 US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.  To commemorate the US Grand Prix and the NBA’s anniversary, exclusive imagery featuring F1 cars in custom liveries representing all 30 NBA teams will be posted on NBA and F1 social channels around the world, with the first ten cars showcasing the central and pacific divisions. On 21 October ESPN hosted F1 drivers as they battled it out off the track in a free throw challenge at an NBA 75th Anniversary-themed basketball half-court within the Circuit of the Amer...
New senior leadership team announced at Sports Tours International
Holidays & Trips, Sports Business, Sports Travel

New senior leadership team announced at Sports Tours International

UK-based Sports Tours International has announced a new senior leadership team, bringing a range of new skills and experience to the specialist sports travel business. As well as a series of internal promotions chief executive Chris Bird has welcomed a number of new additions to the team based in Walkden, Greater Manchester, England.   The new executive team includes Claire Dyson as deputy CEO. Dyson is the longest serving member of the team with 26 years in the business. Still maintaining her role as head of sales and customer services for Club La Santa UK & Ireland, Dyson will support Bird in the day to day running of the business, enabling him to focus on future strategy and development.   New to the executive board are three new appointments and three internal prom...
Qatar Grand Prix completes Formula 1’s 22-race calendar for 2021 season
Events, Guides

Qatar Grand Prix completes Formula 1’s 22-race calendar for 2021 season

Formula 1 has confirmed its revised 22-race calendar for the 2021 season with Qatar announced as the destination for a grand prix in November.  The inaugural Qatar Grand Prix will take place at the purpose-built Losail International Circuit, 22 miles north of the capital city Doha. Qatar has also signed an additional ten-year deal to host F1 from 2023. The introduction of the Qatar Grand Prix means the 2021 F1 season will end with three races in the Gulf: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. A statement from F1 said: "There was a strong will from Qatar to be helpful to F1, and in the course of this process, the vision for a longer partnership was discussed and agreed for ten years. The step from the gesture to be helpful to F1 in 2021 to a long term strategy was short and simple an...
2021 Tokyo Marathon postponed to 6 March 2022
Events, Sports Travel

2021 Tokyo Marathon postponed to 6 March 2022

Organisers of the Tokyo Marathon have announced that the 2021 edition of the event has been postponed until 6 March 2022.  Japan’s capital city is still in a state of emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s not possible for the marathon to go ahead on the scheduled date of 17 October.  In a statement the Tokyo Marathon race director Tad Hayano said: “We have been preparing to deliver an enjoyable event while ensuring safety, not only of our runners but of each and every individual involved in the event. Until the last possible moment, we have explored various ways of delivering the event in October, however, in consideration of the current status of the outbreak, we have made a regrettable decision to postpone the 2021 event and give up on the 2022 event.  “I would like t...
Chasing the sun to Porto Montenegro: ‘The world’s first platinum status marina’
Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Chasing the sun to Porto Montenegro: ‘The world’s first platinum status marina’

If summer has passed all too quickly, then Porto Montenegro is the perfect destination to escape to this winter. With its idyllic Adriatic location in the UNESCO protected Bay of Kotor, proximity to three international airports, 450 marina berths and 295km of coastline, it is a true haven for the yachting community and other travellers looking to chase the sun. With average high temperatures of 21° in October – which only drops to an average of 13° in December – and more than 280 days of sunshine each year, it is the ideal place to enjoy Europe’s most impressive natural areas of outstanding beauty all year round. Porto Montenegro sailing opportunities As the world’s first platinum-status marina, Porto Montenegro welcomes and caters to the needs of the yachting community, offering...
Sports event in focus: Super League Triathlon 2021 championship series
Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Sports event in focus: Super League Triathlon 2021 championship series

Super League Triathlon’s 2021 championship gets under way on 5 September with the opening event of the series in London.  Following the championship opener in the UK capital, the swim-bike-run series will continue with back-to-back events in Munich, Jersey and Malibu, which will crown the fastest triathletes in the world.  Super League Triathlon 2021 Championship Series- 5 September: London, UK- 12 September: Munich, Germany- 18 September: Jersey, Channel Islands - 25 September: Malibu, USA The final start lists for the 2021 Super League Triathlon championship will contain 20 male athletes, 20 female athletes and a number of wildcards - who will confirmed ahead of each event. Race formats include Enduro, Triple Mix, Equalizer and Eliminator. Spain’s Mario Mola, who w...
Aruba sports holidays: golf, beach tennis and motorsport
Guides, Sports Travel

Aruba sports holidays: golf, beach tennis and motorsport

The sun-drenched Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba is the perfect place for combining a relaxing holiday with a spot of golf, beach tennis or motor racing.  Lying 15 miles north of the South American coastline, the island benefits from year-round sunshine, an average temperature of 32C and a cooling breeze. It offers something for every visitor, from luxury brand shopping in the capital Oranjestad to a host of watersports – or just relaxing on the island’s award-winning beaches. Many hotels and resorts offer a range of wellness-focused activities, such as dance therapy, fitness classes and yoga sessions. Hiking along the rugged northern coast of the island or kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding over tranquil turquoise waters are also suggested for those seeking nature-inspired ...
Rugby League World Cup: 2022 dates confirmed for rescheduled event
England, Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Rugby League World Cup: 2022 dates confirmed for rescheduled event

Following the postponement of the 2021 event, Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) organisers have now confirmed the dates for 2022.  Taking place in 2022 from Saturday 15 October to Saturday 19 November, the RLWC in England will feature the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments - the first time all three will be held simultaneously.  A statement said: “The dates see the tournament move one week earlier than scheduled in 2021 to maximise attendance and viewership. Work now continues to release a full revised match schedule by no later than the end of the year.” As originally planned St James' Park in Newcastle will host the opening match while the men’s and women’s finals will be held in a double header at Old Trafford in Manchester.  The earlier start date in 2022 means the...
Sports holidays: Active Living Week with Amy Williams at Four Seasons Fairways
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Sports holidays: Active Living Week with Amy Williams at Four Seasons Fairways

Sports and fitness fanatics who are seeking some winter wellness can train like an Olympian by signing up for Active Living Week with Amy Williams at Four Seasons Fairways in Portugal.  Williams, a gold medal winner in the skeleton for Team GB at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, will be hosting Active Living Week from 21-28 November 2021. She will lead stretch and mobility classes in the grounds of the luxury Algarve resort and hold HIIT, full body burn, core and abs sessions. Guests will also have the opportunity for a meet and greet with Williams, join her for a bike tour along the Ria Formosa and take to the water for a kayak safari. Activities can be tailored to suit all ages, levels and fitness abilities. “I am so thrilled to be heading out to Four Seasons Fairways late...
Estonia sporting events: a marathon challenge in Tallinn and Tartu
Events, Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Estonia sporting events: a marathon challenge in Tallinn and Tartu

Estonia offers a variety of marathon events to participate in. From a month-long virtual marathon to a night run or one of the largest mountain bike marathons in the world, Estonia has a variety of sporting events for visitors to enjoy.  Tallinn Marathon (Image: Jarek Jõepera via Visit Estonia) Tallinn Marathon: 10-12 September 2021 Located in Estonia's capital, the Tallinn Marathon takes place from 10-12 September. It is the largest international running event in Estonia and offers the option to run 5k, 10k or a half-marathon as well as the full distance, making it a great choice for runners of all abilities. The Tallinn Marathon gives the opportunity to complete the race in the beautiful surroundings of the Unesco-declared Old Town, considered one of the best-preserved medieval...

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