The Spanish Institute of Tourism, Turespaña, organized the “Turespaña Padel Insights” event on Sept. 12 at Roland Garros in Paris, coinciding with the Alpine Paris Major Premier Padel tournament.
The initiative brought together more than 50 professionals from the tourism and media sectors to highlight Spain’s leadership in padel and promote the country as a year-round sports tourism destination.
The event, coordinated through Spain’s Tourism Office in Paris with the participation of Turismo Andaluz and Turisme de Catalunya, presented Spain’s diverse offerings in padel tourism.
Organizers targeted the French market, aiming to include the sport in travel packages, corporate trips, and MICE segments, as part of Turespaña’s broader strategy to expand sports tourism and reduce seasonality.
Padel’s Growth in France and Worldwide
María José Gómez, Tourism Counselor of Turespaña in Paris, stressed the importance of promoting Spain’s padel options to match the rising demand in France.
“This initiative gives visibility to Spain’s padel tourism offerings and responds to the growing interest of the French market,” said María José Gómez, Tourism Counselor of Turespaña in Paris. She added that the discipline could play a role in fostering off-season travel, especially for the MICE segment.
Gilles Moretton, President of the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), highlighted the sport’s momentum in France, noting that more than 150,000 people played padel in 2023, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. He underlined the sport’s acceleration in popularity since the pandemic.
Arnaud Di Pasquale, Director of the Alpine Paris Major Premier Padel, and Antonio Robert, CEO of Playtomic, also took part in the sessions. Robert presented figures showing a 26% increase in club openings in 2024 and forecast sustained global growth of 17% annually in the coming years.
Experts and industry leaders speak during the Turespaña Padel Insights roundtable at Roland Garros in Paris.Tourism Industry Perspectives
A panel discussion brought together former professional player Belén Montes, JC Ferrero Equelite Sport Academy CEO Iñaki Etxegia, Rémi Collat of La Toupie Bleue, and Albert Escofet of the International Padel Cluster. They examined how Spain’s infrastructure and specialized services position the country as a leading destination for padel tourism, attracting international visitors through both sporting excellence and tailored experiences.
The event concluded with a networking workshop that linked French operators with Spanish suppliers, focusing on integrating padel into travel packages and corporate itineraries. The session aimed to strengthen business ties and encourage cross-market collaborations that capitalize on the sport’s rapid expansion.
Padel continues to grow globally, with Spain at the forefront as both a competitive hub and a travel destination. Turespaña’s efforts in Paris sought to strengthen the country’s reputation as a leader in sports tourism while tapping into a French market that is showing rising interest in the sport.
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