Holidays & Trips

14Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

The Lensbury tennis retreat review: game, set and relax in London

Ramy James Salameh headed to The Lensbury, a premier sports resort situated beside the River Thames in south west London, to enjoy a two-day tennis retreat alongside plenty of R&R. Framed and signed squad shirts, silver glinting trophy cabinets and a champions honours board are just some of the sporting memorabilia adorning the walls of The Lensbury Hotel, located on the banks of the River Thames in Teddington. It all reflects more than a century of sporting excellence, ever since its formation as a sports and social club in 1920. Today, its 25-acres of manicured lawns play host to some of the world’s best teams and sportspeople, who come to prepare and train ahead of major competitions. When England's Lionesses became European women's football champions in 2022, they used The L...

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2Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips

39 Hours to Kohima: a historic trek through India’s Naga Hills

If you want to mix a long-distance walking trip while retracing the footsteps of history, then read on. Organised by Sampan Travel, “39 Hours to Kohima” is a unique 10-day endurance trek through the Naga Hills in north east India which follows the historic route of the Assam soldiers in 1944.  Taking place in 2025 from 27 March to 5 April, the trek will go from the village of Jessami on the India-Myanmar border to Kohima, the capital of the north east Indian state of Nagaland. A maximum of 12 "trailwalkers" will cover more than 100 kilometres through the dramatic landscape of the Naga Hills. The history At midnight on 1-2 April 1944, a band of soldiers raced over the Naga Hills of north east India. Dodging Japanese gunfire, they succeeded in making it back to the small garrison a...

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29Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Diamond of the Alps: Gurgl’s World Cup ski race offers plenty of ‘altitude’

Ramy James Salameh puts on his skis and mixes it up with the world's best slalom skiers at the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup Race in Gurgl, Austria – The Diamond of the Alps. The "snow gods" were looking down upon organisers of the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup Slalom Race in Gurgl, a ski resort famed for its "altitude", long winter season and dramatic crucible of lofty peaks. Located at the end the Oetztal valley in Austria’s Tirol region, skiing takes place between 1,800m and 3,030m, meaning "divine intervention" is rarely required to ensure Gurgl has plenty of the white stuff, even as early as the season's opening ski weekend in November. A fresh blanket of powdery snow across the landscape and a cloudless sky, set the scene for the thrills and spills of World Cup ski racing, as well ...

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25Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Walkers’ Britain launches new ‘taste of’ UK walking trip collection  

European active holiday specialist Walkers' Britain, which is part of the World Expeditions Travel Group, has launched a new range of “taste of” trips for 2025. The trips are a curated collection of walking holidays with shorter distances that offer a perfect blend of active exploration, relaxation and cultural discovery. Designed by an expert team for walkers seeking bucket-list experiences without the time commitment, these trips are no more than six days' long, showcasing some of the UK's most iconic locations. From gentle walks through classic landscapes to exploring cultural treasures, the new itineraries feature carefully crafted routes with shorter distances and abundant opportunities to savour the journey. The new taste of trips focus on comfort and character, with handpicke...

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25Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Sports resort in focus: JA The Resort, Dubai

Sporting enthusiasts will just love JA The Resort, which is located on a private 800m beachfront on the pristine shores of Jebel Ali in Dubai, UAE. The five-star all-inclusive destination comprises three distinct properties, more than 25 restaurants and bars, a world-class nine-hole championship golf course, an equestrian centre, watersports hub and shooting range.  Regarded as Dubai’s largest experience resort and spanning one million square metres of lush greenery, there are more than 40 activities and experiences that families, couples, solo travellers and groups of friends can enjoy during an active stay.  As well as golf, horse riding, swimming and diving, the resort is also home to the JA Sports Centre, a 168-acre sporting facility which can host professional teams and gr...

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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 Morocc...

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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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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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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 2...

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14Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Bucket List, Holidays & Trips

Sports travel bucket list: an epic European cycling trip from Prague to Venice

Cycling holiday company Saddle Skedaddle has a number of new itineraries for 2025, including an epic road cycling trip across four European countries – from Prague to Venice.  One for the 2025 sports travel bucket list, the 21-day road cycling holiday covers almost 900 miles and takes riders from the Czech Republic, across the whole of Austria, east to west through Slovenia, before a grand arrival in Venice, Italy.  The journey from Central Europe to the Mediterranean begins in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, before venturing out into the Czech countryside along a mix of country roads and cycle paths. After exploring some of the towns and cities along the way, including the UNESCO World Heritage site, Český Krumlov, it’s time to cross the border into Austria. After crissc...

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14Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Inntravel unveils 2025 walking holidays in the Pyrenees and Madeira

Tour operator Inntravel has added a selection of new adventures within its 2025 programme of 285 self-guided holidays. Among the new walking holidays for the year ahead are those in the Pyrenees, in Spain’s Aracena Sierra, and on the island of Madeira. Inntravel has also added a new hotel-to-hotel cycling holiday in Tuscany, Italy. A stroll in the Pyrenees – single centre-based walking  The Pyrenees are the ultimate walking destination, with thrilling routes that reveal high peaks, traditional stone villages, and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Yet this new single-centre holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees offers a different take on this unspoiled region – foregoing taxing hikes in favour of gentle but wonderfully rewarding strolls on mountain paths, drovers’ roads and meadows. It is...

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2Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards to host SkiWeekends break in Les Gets

SkiWeekends has launched a new holiday this winter in the French ski resort of Les Gets, hosted by Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, Britain’s most famous ski jumper. Getting the unique opportunity to ski, stay, and dine with one of Britain’s iconic Olympians, guests will stay at Chalet Marjorie in the heart of Les Gets over a week during January with options for both short and longer stays.  Edwards is renowned for his daring exploits, from stunt jumping over six buses to holding the British ski jumping record. As the first competitor to represent Great Britain in ski jumping for 60 years, he achieved 73.5m at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Beyond his athletic achievements, Edwards is also an accomplished skier, a qualified instructor and former Alpine ski racer. In 2016, he was...

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24Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Tennis holidays: LUX Tennis Star Event at Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives

Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives will welcome former tennis professionals Julia Görges and Wesley Koolhof to the luxury island resort for a LUX Tennis Star Event from 7-14 January 2025.  Featuring a week of group and private lessons with Görges and Koolhof, the programme will begin with a complimentary meet and greet with the players for all guests. Throughout the week, Görges and Koolhof will alternate between one-hour group sessions and 30-minute private lessons. Group clinics will cost guests $90 (£70) a session, with private lessons costing $150 (£115) a session.  Playing on a state-of-the-art court surrounded by Baa Atoll’s tropical foliage, guests at Finolhu have the opportunity to develop their game and enjoy a unique tennis experience.  Currently present in 43 ...

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14Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Hiking in Mallorca and Ibiza: new routes to open 

The long-awaited East Mallorca GR-226 hiking route, which stands for Gran Recorrido (Great Tour), is set to open in 2025 on the island of Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic archipelago.  The route, also known as the Gran Recorrido del Llevant, will cover a distance of over 104 kilometres, with a main route spanning 93.81 kilometres, plus two additional access points from Son Macià and the Costa dels Pins.  The GR-226's main itinerary will be divided into four different stages:  Cales de Mallorca-Manacor (24,99km) Manacor – Son Carrio (22.99km) Son Carrio – Arta (23.19km) Arta – Cala Mesquida (22.63km).  Hikers will be able to enjoy the East of the island like never before through various points of interest and areas of natural beauty along the way. See m...

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13Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Explora Journeys opens F1 Paddock Club bookings for 2025 Monaco GP

Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, has announced that access to the exclusive Formula 1 Paddock Club is now available to book for guests staying in Ocean Residences and Penthouses on board EXPLORA II during the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2025, taking place from 22-25 May 2025. This exclusive access will enable guests to experience one of the most prestigious events in motorsports from a truly unique vantage point. EXPLORA II, the latest luxury ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, will be docked in the heart of Monaco’s iconic Port Hercule, placing guests just steps from the electrifying action of the Formula 1 racetrack. Explora Journeys will be the only luxury ocean travel brand with a ship docked in Monaco during race days. From this prime ...

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2Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Padel breaks in London: intensive padel weeks at Rocks Lane

Each month padel players from around the world come together at Rocks Lane Padel Academy in Chiswick, west London, for a week of padel training and cultural exploration.  Whether you’re just starting your padel journey or looking to improve your competitive edge, the week-long intensive training programme at Rocks Lane is designed for players of all levels. At its venue in Chiswick, you will find the biggest padel tennis facility in London – with 12 padel courts, including four covered courts, a clubhouse with cafe, changing rooms, soft play and social areas. Under the expert guidance of Álex Grilo, a former World Padel Tour (WPT) player and one of the UK’s most respected coaches, you’ll receive personalised coaching to help elevate your game. The sessions focus on technique, strate...

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2Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Sport hotels: F1 race weekend at W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island

Formula 1 fans can watch the 2024 season finale in style at W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, the five-star hotel located within the Yas Marina Circuit. Taking place from 5-8 December 2024, the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could see the world championship go down to the wire and the hotel has several packages available to witness the events on the track.  W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island promises a weekend filled with unparalleled excitement. With seven high-octane venues pulsing with energy, guests can look forward to a mega line-up of entertainment, featuring world-class artists and Yas Island's most thrilling parties and brunches.  Those staying at the hotel during race weekend or attending the brunch will enjoy complimentary access to Yasalam's after-race concert of the day showc...

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20Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Wildfitness Retreat 2025 at Forte San Giorgio in Italy

Forte San Giorgio, a private fort situated on the Italian island of Capraia, will host a Wildfitness Retreat in 2025. This secluded island escape, set in the Tuscan archipelago, sleeps 20 people, with Mediterranean views and an authentic local cultural scene, and can be booked as part of a retreat or for private group hire.  Wildfitness is a UK-based retreat experience that runs courses in Somerset, Menorca and Capraia, based on three core principles: respecting the body's natural rhythms, healthy eating and a holistic approach to movement, using the local environment as a natural gym. The team runs several retreats over the year, staying at the fort and taking full advantage of the island's unique natural character.  How to book  In 2025, two seven-day courses will take pla...

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13Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Legends El Clásico: Qatar Airways offers unique holiday packages for Doha fixture

Qatar Airways, in partnership with Qatar Tourism, has announced unique travel packages for football fans to witness a special Legends El Clásico match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid on 28 November 2024 at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. The packages are inclusive of return flights, accommodation and match tickets, seamlessly allowing global fans to travel to Doha and watch the legends from various eras of Spain’s biggest sports rivalry. To book flight plus hotel packages to Doha with match tickets for the Legends El Clásico see qatarairways.com/elclasico The legends match will take place during an action-packed week of sport for Qatar, which also stages the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix from 29 November to 1 December 2024. Steven Reynolds, Qatar Airways ...

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6Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Holidays & Trips

G Golf Ireland’s guide to Dublin’s best golf courses 

Dublin is the main gateway to Ireland with more than 30 million passengers passing through its international airport every year. Founded by the Vikings more than 1,000 years ago, Ireland’s capital is now a bustling, vibrant city that has grown up among its ancient heritage.  There are more than 100 golf courses within the greater Dublin area so there is plenty of choice. Golf travel company G Golf Ireland has picked out its favourite golf courses in Dublin to consider as part of your next golfing trip to Ireland. Portmarnock Old: Multiple host of the Irish Open, the Walker Cup, the Amateur Championship and this year's Women's Amateur Championship, Portmarnock is considered to be the most famous Dublin venue. A very fair test of pure links golf, Portmarnock ranks at No.37 in the...

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