Imagine rallying with Maria Sharapova on Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula, biking the switchbacks of Aspen with Bob “Bobke” Roll, or hanging 5 with Laird Hamilton on Oʻahu. Professional athlete-led experiences are on the rise at luxurious accommodations throughout the globe, from typical recreations just like the respective camps at Amanzoe, The Little Nell and The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay to extra area of interest packages like path working with excessive sportswoman Anne-Marie Flammersfeld at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz or fencing with six-time world champion Valentina Vezzali at Sardinia’s Forte Village Resort.
“Athletic programming adds vibrancy and structure to leisure travel, offering a rhythm that guests increasingly crave,” says Ashley Smith, director of gross sales and advertising and marketing at Rosewood Little Dix Bay and lead planner for the Virgin Gorda resort’s Little Dix Bay Tennis Cup. Hosted by skilled tennis gamers Sloane Stephens and Genie Bouchard, the forthcoming occasion this December will mark the second annual Cup after a profitable debut final spring. “We see the [rising] trend [of professional athlete programming] as a reflection of a broader shift toward intentional, community-driven experiences,” says Smith, noting the social facet to sharing a courtroom with a tennis icon whereas connecting with like-minded company to advertise “wellness, but also connection, purpose, and play.”
The sudden curiosity round skilled athlete-led experiences additionally faucets into cultural moments like sports activities fandom, private improvement, and even social media. “People want wellness with a story,” says Karen Whitt from The Palms in Turks & Caicos. In July, the Grace Bay–entrance property hosted a NFL Football Clinic targeted on agility drills, teamwork, and motivation. Led by present gamers like Cincinnati Bengals’ working again Chase Brown and Houston Texans’ large receiver Tank Dell, Whitt says this system hit the candy spot of being “health-conscious, cool, and unexpected.”
The rising demand for experiences that mix journey and rejuvenation is a theme The Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu, Turtle Bay meets at their five-day Camp Laird where 20 guests will be coached by big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton. Located on the North Shore in front of surfers’ favourite break Turtle Bay Pool Bar, common supervisor Doug Chang says, “Rather than simply admiring the view, we offer guests the unforgettable opportunity to catch their first wave.”
These alternatives are particularly nice for households, provides Thaaif Ahmed, DOSM at Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort. The 176-key property debuted skilled athlete choices in 2023 as they acknowledged vacationers sought premium lively experiences along with leisure. This fall, they’ll host a four-day soccer camp led by former England striker Michael Owen who performed for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester United.
“Sport is increasingly seen as a form of holistic wellness, combining physical activity with mental resilience and community,” provides Anthony Gill, common supervisor of Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, which launched their soccer (soccer, to Americans) camp final yr in partnership with Real Madrid consisting of a number of days of immersive coaching with former professionals complemented by efficiency menus and restoration therapies.