Welcome to the travel industry’s new favorite sport: Pickleball. Hotels from luxury resorts to urban properties are rapidly adding pickleball courts to their grounds, and cruise lines, even river cruises, are netting off courts on their ships. It seems clear from our reporting that travelers are keen to take their paddles anywhere and everywhere to keep up their routine, play with fellow guests or locals, or use the opportunity to learn the game.

Hotels editor Christina Jelski, who spearheaded our pickleball cover story and who has tracked the popularity of the game within the hospitality sector, co-hosts this episode with host Rebecca Tobin. Our guests are Melinda Alcossar, a travel advisor who founded Travel With Heart, a division of All-Travel, and specializes in organizing “Carpe Dinkem” pickleball vacations, and Rob Coleman, Holland America Line’s vice president of North America sales, which is going “all in” on pickleball.

Among our topics: How fast this sport has grown among travel companies, why travelers love to play and where travelers and advisors can find creative and plentiful courts and opportunities for play.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related reports:

Cover story: Picking up on the pickleball craze https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Picking-up-on-the-pickleball-craze

Cruise insight: Pickleball is a hit, and Holland America Line has taken notice https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Insights/Holland-America-is-jumping-into-pickleball

River cruise insight: River lines put more sports options into play https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/River-lines-put-sports-cruise-options-in-play

From 2019: Anyone for pickleball? Resorts embrace the booming sport https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Anyone-for-pickleball-Resorts-embrace-booming-sport

 

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