Alessandro Corti: Strategies for unlocking growth through padel tourism

Amid its rise in popularity across the world, padel is well-placed to capitalise on major shifts in hospitality and global tourism. Alessandro Corti, co-founder and CEO of London-based Padel Consulting, examines the latest developments, looks at what they mean for padel operators globally, and recommends strategies for delivering growth across the increasingly diverse forms of padel tourism – from beach resorts to the French Alps.

The global sports landscape is witnessing a paradigm shift. The synergy between premium sports facilities and luxury travel is no longer a trend – it is a cornerstone of modern destination development and a magnet for high-net-worth travellers.

In this context, padel – once a regional pastime in Spain and Latin America – has transcended its ‘emerging sport’ status to become a high-value strategic asset for the hospitality and tourism industries.

Padel tourism: A new frontier in the $2 trillion sports travel market

With the global sports tourism market projected to hit the $2 trillion mark by 2032, padel is uniquely positioned to capture a significant share of this growth. Boasting over 35 million players worldwide, the sport has become a primary driver for travel decisions.

From the coastal enclaves of Portugal to the ultra-luxury retreats in the Maldives, padel tourism is redefining the itinerary of the modern traveller. Today’s tourists are increasingly prioritising wellness and social connectivity over passive leisure. For these ‘active travellers’, a destination’s value is often measured by the quality of its courts and the vibrancy of its local padel community.

Transforming padel clubs into high-yield lifestyle hubs

The evolution of the padel club mirrors the trajectory of the elite country club, but with a more inclusive, dynamic ethos. In key markets like the UK, Italy, Indonesia and the UAE, successful club owners are pivoting from ‘pay-to-play’ models to lifestyle destinations.

By integrating premium F&B (food & beverage) services, wellness clinics, high-end pro shops, and coworking spaces, clubs are maximising dwell time and diversifying revenue. This ‘resort-style’ approach ensures the facility remains a social epicentre long after the match concludes, creating a resilient business model that appeals to both local members and international visitors.

Hospitality integration: Why hotels are racing to install courts

For hotel operators, padel represents the ultimate ‘must-have’ amenity. Unlike golf courses, which require massive land use and high maintenance CapEx (capital expenditure), padel courts offer a high ROI (return on investment) with a relatively small footprint.

“At its core, padel is easy to learn, low-impact, and inherently social – three reasons it’s resonating with a generation of travellers increasingly drawn to movement, community, and connection,” Jon Krieger, co-founder of Padel United Sports Club, which is based in Cresskill, New Jersey in the US and provides spa and wellness facilities as well as padel courts, told cntraveler.com

Case study: The Club Med & Babolat partnership

A prime example of strategic integration is Club Med. By partnering with Babolat, the brand has scaled its padel offering across dozens of global properties. As of late 2023, just six of their resorts accounted for 20 courts, with aggressive expansion plans for 10 more locations. This move directly targets the lucrative demographic of European and Middle Eastern travellers who view padel as a non-negotiable part of their vacation experience.

Case study: The Hamptons’ luxury ‘pop-up’ blueprint

A benchmark for seasonal high-end integration was set at the Montauk Yacht Club in New York. In a strategic move during the 2025 season, this iconic venue redefined Hamptons luxury by debuting the region’s first-ever waterfront padel experience in collaboration with Privé Padel.

This ‘pop-up’ partnership successfully introduced the sport to one of the world's most exclusive summer enclaves, proving that seasonal sport installations can serve as a powerful magnet for the elite demographic. By fusing world-class maritime hospitality with the vibrant social culture of padel, the project created a new blueprint for how historic resorts can modernise their amenity offerings to drive engagement and capture the ‘active luxury’ market.

Sponsor engagement: Bridging venues, brands and travel campaigns

Where there are passionate participants and travellers, sponsors will follow. Padel’s rise at the nexus of hospitality and tourism presents sponsors with novel ways to engage both on-site at venues and through broader campaigns. Unlike traditional sports sponsorships that might focus solely on branding in arenas or player endorsements, padel’s tourism link enables sponsors to become part of a travel experience or destination appeal.

Consider the example of Qatar Airways. The airline saw clear alignment between padel’s global tour and its own mission to connect travellers. In 2024 it became the title sponsor and official airline of the Premier Padel tour, a sponsorship that went beyond logos on court walls. As a partner, Qatar Airways is collaborating with the tour to design custom travel packages for players and fans attending tournaments, enhancing their overall journey.

Tournaments as destination drivers

Just as major golf or tennis events boost tourism, padel tournaments are becoming destination events. The professional padel calendar (including the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel circuit) now features stops in iconic tourist locales, from beach cities to world capitals, intentionally blending competition with travel appeal. In 2025, the Premier Padel tour scheduled 24 tournaments across 16 countries, adding new stops like Miami and Cancun to tap into those travel markets.

Emerging models: From Lake Como and luxury cruises to the top of the Alps

The industry is seeing the birth of the ‘dedicated padel resort’. A landmark project currently under development at Lake Como, Italy illustrates this shift: a destination designed specifically for intensive padel training, high-level competition, and luxury hospitality.

Furthermore, the ‘padel-as-a-service’ model is expanding into:

●   Luxury yacht charters: Itineraries featuring private court bookings at Mediterranean ports.

●   Cruise lines: On-board courts as a core entertainment feature.

●   Active travel packages: Curated ‘stay & play’ experiences in padel hotspots like Marbella, Dubai, and Rome.

Ten of the best worldwide hotels and resorts offering padel experiences for guests

1. Gleneagles Hotel (UK)

Website: gleneagles.com
Description: Scotland. An iconic countryside estate that combines historic charm with cutting-edge sports facilities, including newly added padel courts nestled in the Scottish greenery. (For more information read Padel Business Magazine’s interview with Gleneagles director of leisure Colin Farndon).

2. The Padel Resort (Italy)

Website: thepadelresort.it
Description: Como. A brand-new luxury resort born from an industrial reconversion, offering nine professional courts, a hi-tech gym, and a boutique hotel experience on Lake Como.

3. Puente Romano Beach Resort (Spain)

Website: puenteromano.com
Description: Marbella. Arguably the most famous padel club in the world, where Andalusian luxury meets the legacy of international tennis and padel.

4. Kuda Villingili Resort (Maldives)

Website: kudavillingili.com
Description: North Malé Atoll. One of the archipelago’s most exclusive resorts, offering padel courts with breathtaking views of the turquoise ocean.

5. The Ritz-Carlton, Bali (Indonesia)

Website: ritzcarlton.com/bali
Description: Bali. A tropical sanctuary that has integrated padel courts surrounded by exotic gardens, offering the perfect mix of sport and Balinese spirituality.

6. Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort (Morocco)

Website: mazaganresort.com
Description: El Jadida. A majestic resort on the Atlantic coast boasting world-class sports facilities, becoming the reference point for padel in North Africa.

7. One&Only Mandarina (Mexico)

Website: oneandonlyresorts.com/mandarina
Description: Riviera Nayarit. Set within the coastal jungle, this ultra-luxury resort features padel courts seamlessly integrated into the wild natural environment.

8. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (USA)

Website: ritzcarlton.com/keybiscayne
Description: Miami. A premier Florida destination home to one of the most prestigious tennis and padel centres in the US, frequented by professionals and the jet set.

9. Enjoy Punta del Este Resort & Casino (Uruguay)

Website: enjoy.cl/puntadeleste
Description: Punta del Este. The epicentre of sport and entertainment in South America, famous for hosting international padel tournaments in the region’s ‘Saint-Tropez’.

10. InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort (Australia)

Website: sanctuarycove.intercontinental.com
Description: Gold Coast. A colonial-style resort offering a complete sports experience with padel courts set in one of Queensland’s most prestigious locations. 

Chilling thrills: The global rise of ‘snow padel’

If you thought padel was strictly a summer sport, think again. The latest frontier in luxury travel is ‘snow padel’, a breathtaking trend where high-altitude aesthetics meet high-performance play.

Leading the charge is Livigno, Italy, known as ‘Little Tibet’, which hosts spectacular pop-up events where courts are carved into the alpine landscape, offering a high-octane alternative to the ski slopes.

Meanwhile, in the French Alps, Lacoste has elevated the ‘sport-chic’ lifestyle with its exclusive padel project in Courchevel 1850, blending high fashion with sub-zero sportsmanship.

Crossing the Atlantic, the trend has also reached the ‘Switzerland of the South’ in Bariloche, Argentina, where luxury resorts are leveraging South America's deep padel culture to offer matches surrounded by the snow-capped Andes.

Technical insight for club owners: Transitioning to a winter environment requires strategic engineering. To maintain a premium experience, consider heated glass technology to prevent fogging and ice buildup, ensuring crystal-clear views for spectators. Your synthetic turf must be hyper-permeable to allow for rapid drainage and prevent ice from forming within the fibres. Finally, choose your model: utilise pressurised domes for consistent year-round play, or embrace the ‘extreme outdoor’ aesthetic as a high-impact marketing tool to attract tourists seeking the ultimate ‘Instagrammable’ sports moment.

Pioneering the digital frontier of padel tourism

A key player reshaping the industry is Weebora, a specialised platform dedicated to the ‘padel & travel’ ecosystem. By connecting enthusiasts with curated ‘stay & play’ packages, professional coaching clinics, and international tournaments, Weebora simplifies the logistics of sports travel for both individuals and corporate groups. Its data-driven approach allows hotels and clubs to tap into a global network of active travellers, turning underutilised court hours into high-yield tourism assets.

"The future of padel tourism lies in hyper-personalisation; travellers no longer want just a court, they want a seamless, 360-degree lifestyle experience. We are seeing a massive shift where the sport becomes the primary anchor for luxury travel decisions globally," says Fabio Zecchini, the Weebora founder and CEO.

Investment signals and the outlook for 2026

Looking ahead, the professionalisation of padel, fuelled by potential Olympic inclusion and global media coverage, will accelerate investment in mixed-use real estate.

We anticipate a surge in ‘padel residential communities’ where sport facilities are integrated into luxury housing developments as well as a surge in ‘padel luxury resorts’ around the world. For investors and developers, the window to secure ‘early-mover’ status in prime tourism locations is closing rapidly.

Early data from premium resorts in the Mediterranean suggests the strategic integration of padel can drive an average daily rate (ADR) uplift of 10% to 15% among active traveller segments, according to the Playtomic / Monitor Deloitte Global Padel Report.

And the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) underlines in its Sport & Wellness Tourism Reports that ‘active travellers’ (wellness/sport tourists) spend on average 130% more than the average tourist.

Furthermore, with the sport’s CAGR (compound annual growth rate) exceeding 15% in key expansion markets like the UK and the Middle East, the Global Padel Report emphasises that padel serves as a powerful ‘stickiness’ factor, increasing the average length of stay and boosting on-site F&B capture rates, thereby directly enhancing the total revenue per available room (TRevPAR).

Best practices for club owners: A blueprint for effective padel tourism strategies

To effectively capture the growing market of business and leisure travellers, padel club owners must move beyond standard court rentals. Here is a strategic checklist to maximise profitability and guest attraction:

●   Establish strategic hotel partnerships: If your club is in a hub like London, partner with 4-star and 5-star hotels within a three-mile radius. Position your club as the hotel’s ‘off-site sports centre’.

●   Yield management via off-peak booking: Create exclusive ‘tourist passes’ or ‘business traveller packages’ valid during off-peak hours (e.g. 10am – 4pm). This fills the courts when local members are working and provides the hotel with a valuable guest perk.

●   Seamless concierge integration: Allow hotel concierge desks to book courts directly through your API or a dedicated portal. The more frictionless the booking, the higher the conversion.

●   The ‘padel & pitch’ corporate offer: For business travellers, offer a package that includes a 90-minute padel session followed by access to a private meeting room or catered lunch. This targets the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector.

●   Logistical synergy: Facilitate the guest journey. Offer shuttle services or partner with ride-share apps to provide discounted ‘club-to-hotel’ codes.

●   Cross-promotion & internal marketing: Ensure your club’s branding is visible in hotel lobbies and digital guest directories. Conversely, promote your partner hotels within the club to your local members who may need event spaces or guest accommodation.

●   High-value coaching clinics: Travellers often seek to improve their game while away. Offer ‘express pro-clinics’, intensive 60-minute sessions with top-tier coaches tailored for visitors.

●      Resort-style amenities for suburban clubs: For clubs outside urban centres, consider ‘stay & play’ partnerships with local villas or even developing on-site ‘glamping’ or boutique lodge units to create a self-contained destination.

• Alessandro Corti is co-founder and CEO of Padel Consulting. He can be contacted at: [email protected]

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