The President of the International Padel Cluster (CIP), Mireia Álvarez, participated on 22 January in FITUR Sports 2026, moderating the round table “The Racket Sports Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities for the Tourism Sector”, held at the Knowledge Pavilion (Hall 12) within the framework of the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), organised by IFEMA MADRID.
The session brought together leading professionals from the sports and tourism industries, including Juan Méndez, Director of Madison Sports Marketing; Albert Escofet, Co-Founder of Wild Pickleball Agency and Coordinator of the Pickleball Commission at Spain is Sport | Spanish Sports Industry Association; and Guillermo del Grosso, Director of Operations and Events at Nueva Alcántara Club. The discussion focused on the main challenges and opportunities that racket sports -particularly padel and pickleball- represent as strategic tools for tourism diversification, destination de-seasonalisation and value creation.
During the debate, it became clear that padel is no longer just a sporting trend, but has evolved into a strategic asset for the tourism industry, capable of attracting new audiences, stimulating local economies and strengthening tourism offerings through high-quality sports experiences. The speakers also highlighted the importance of collaboration between clubs, events, brands, institutions and destinations in building a strong and sustainable global ecosystem.
The participation of the International Padel Cluster in FITUR Sports reinforces its commitment to the international projection of padel and its integration into strategic sectors such as tourism, the sports industry and territorial development. Initiatives like this consolidate FITUR Sports as a key forum for analysis and discussion on the role of sport as an economic and social driver.
The CIP highly values FITUR’s commitment to giving visibility to racket sports -and padel in particular- as well as the continued consolidation of FITUR Sports as a relevant meeting point for the main stakeholders in the sector.
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