This past August the Waldorf Astoria New York turned its almost 10,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom into a full-size tennis court. Under glittering chandeliers, pros like Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Leylah Fernandez, and Maria Sakkari played showcase matches as spectators sipped from Champagne flutes. The event, which coincided with the US Open, hosted meet-and-greets and coaching sessions with ardent devotees, all of whom later checked in to the plush rooms upstairs. “It [felt] a little outrageous, incredibly glamorous, and completely right,” says Jamie Kerr, vice president of luxury marketing strategy at Hilton. “After all, the Grand Ballroom is where New York has always gathered to see and be seen.”
The congregation of athletic aficionados keen to connect with their idols and fellow fans is indicative of a wider trend. The sports-tourism market was estimated to be worth $1.16 trillion in 2025 and now makes up about 10 percent of the tourism economy itself. It's the perfect amalgam of travelers' growing pursuits of wellness, mental stimulation, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences on their journeys. Travelers want to do more than just catch a game; they want to get on the court with Grand Slam winners and cheer in the VIP grandstands at Formula 1 races—and increasingly, it's top hotels that are helping facilitate that kind of VIP access.
At Aspen's The Little Nell, Olympian Christian Vande Velde leads cycling camps made tougher by the mountain town's high elevation, while at The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, a partnership with the Jamie O'Brien Surf Experience invites guests to ride iconic surf breaks with the school's namesake champ. Tennis fans can plan travel based on whom they want to play: Andy Roddick rallies with guests at San Diego's Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, while Feliciano López hits the courts at St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. This summer at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, a stay package included four tickets to the FIFA World Cup's Brazil-versus-Morocco match, with chauffeur service to and from the stadium in New Jersey, plus two nights in the hotel's 2,100-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Suite, complete with a mini gym and Peloton bike.
There's something especially appealing when it comes to tying such fan experiences to a destination's culture, says Kerr of Hilton, which will expand its tennis programming with the creation of Waldorf Astoria Racquet Club at the forthcoming Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, set to open in March 2027. “Think grass, tennis whites, strawberries and cream, a long drink in hand,” she says—in other words, channeling the classic style of Wimbledon, arguably the world's most famous tournament, drawing half a million spectators each year. “We want to give guests something they can participate in and feel part of, whether they're holding the racket, watching from courtside, or simply drawn to the energy around the game.”
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This article appeared in the November 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.