Lifestyle sports are changing the way people plan trips in 2025, turning every getaway into a mix of movement, culture, and community. Running, pickleball, tennis, and golf are no longer just workouts. They are passports to new places, new friends, and fresh experiences.
Travelers are chasing races, tournaments, and pro-led clinics with the same excitement they once reserved for beach days.
Hotels, airlines, and even tour operators are catching on fast. Entire travel packages are now built around lifestyle sports, with curated routes, on-site coaching, and group sessions that bring people together. A trip to the Dolomites might include trail runs at sunrise. And a week in the Caribbean could mean daily pickleball play with visiting pros.
Community-Driven Growth is Changing Trips
Global run club participation shot up by 59 percent in 2024, and iconic events like the Big Six marathons are magnets for international crowds. Scenic races in Big Sur and Patagonia are drawing runners who crave both challenge and scenery. People are chasing medals, but they are also chasing meaning, connecting with others who share their drive.
Westin / IG / Hotels like Westin have built entire programs around this energy. Their Run Concierge concept pairs guided city runs with cultural insights, making every stride a discovery.
Companies such as Runcation Travel have gone all in, designing trips that blend trail running with deep local immersion. You might jog through the Alps by day and share wine with villagers by night.
Pickleball is Pulling Travelers Worldwide
Pickleball’s rise has added even more momentum. The sport has grown 311 percent since 2021, and its tournaments have become travel-worthy events. Naples, Florida, hosts the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, pulling in over 55,000 fans from far and wide. Resorts like Sandals have invested in 64 new courts, complete with pro coaching and clinics that turn a sunny getaway into a skill-building adventure.
Luxury properties are seeing the draw too. Club Med Cancún will host the Americas Pickleball Cup, showing how high-end travel and active play can fit perfectly together. Travelers now expect more than a pool and a gym.
Gonzalo / Unsplash / With 25.7 million players in the U.S. alone, tennis has become a social sport with broad appeal.
London’s Egerton House offers Wimbledon packages that include match tickets, coaching sessions, and private club access. At the Rafael Nadal Academy, players spend mornings on the court and afternoons exploring nearby villages. Trips are now a mix of skill, culture, and story.
Golf Travel is Getting Younger and Bolder
Golf is evolving in the same way. Younger players are driving demand for unique, experiential trips. Picture a Scotland tour where you play historic links by day and sip rare whisky by night. Events like LIV Golf’s Las Vegas stop are targeting younger crowds, proving that golf travel is no longer reserved for retirees. The sport is breaking out of its box and into a new travel category.
Luxury and wellness now go hand in hand with these trends. A growing slice of high-income travelers is prioritizing sports-centered trips. Hyatt’s data shows 16 percent of Brits now travel internationally for sporting events. They want something active, something that feels personal, and something they can brag about back home.
However, tech is playing a big part in this rise. AI-curated itineraries make it easy to bundle race entries with flights and hotel stays. Marathon weekends are turning into “mara-cations,” with hotels like Generator seeing a 67 percent jump in bookings tied to events like the NYC Marathon.
