Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain Are at the Heart of a Tourism Shift That’s Capturing the World’s Attention

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TUI is strengthening its position in the rapidly growing sports tourism market by announcing a new partnership with the Palermo Marathon from 2027 while extending its title sponsorship of the TUI Rhodes Marathon until at least 2030. The move comes as the popularity of racecations—holidays built around destination running events—continues to surge across Europe. By adding Palermo, Sicily, to its Mediterranean Marathon League alongside Rhodes, Cyprus and Mallorca, TUI aims to capitalise on travellers increasingly seeking holidays that combine fitness, cultural discovery, wellness and coastal escapes. The expanded portfolio is expected to attract more than 25,000 runners in 2027, reinforcing the growing influence of sports tourism on international travel demand.

Why Is the Racecation Trend Growing So Quickly?

Holidaymakers are increasingly looking beyond traditional beach holidays or city breaks by combining travel with personal interests and active experiences.

The rise of the racecation reflects a broader shift towards experiential tourism, where travellers organise entire holidays around participation in marathons, cycling events, triathlons and other sporting challenges.

Rather than travelling solely for relaxation, many visitors now extend marathon weekends into longer holidays, combining competition with sightseeing, gastronomy, wellness and cultural exploration.

This evolving travel behaviour has made destination races an increasingly valuable segment for tourism boards, airlines, hotels and tour operators.

Why Has TUI Added the Palermo Marathon?

Beginning in 2027, TUI will become the title sponsor of the Palermo Marathon, bringing Sicily’s capital into its growing portfolio of Mediterranean running destinations.

The partnership expands TUI’s Mediterranean Marathon League, which already includes successful marathon events in Rhodes, Cyprus and Mallorca.

By selecting Palermo, TUI is introducing runners to one of southern Europe’s most historic and culturally rich destinations, offering participants an opportunity to combine competitive running with an extended Mediterranean holiday.

The partnership reflects the company’s strategy of developing travel experiences centred on sport, wellbeing and authentic destination discovery.

What Makes Palermo an Attractive Marathon Destination?

Palermo offers a distinctive combination of historic architecture, vibrant street life, celebrated cuisine and a scenic Mediterranean coastline.

The city’s marathon route passes many of Palermo’s best-known landmarks, allowing participants to experience its rich heritage while competing.

The most recent edition of the Palermo Marathon attracted more than 3,000 runners representing 35 countries, demonstrating the event’s growing international appeal.

Its combination of culture, food and coastal scenery makes Palermo particularly well suited to travellers seeking more than simply a race weekend.

How Large Is TUI’s Mediterranean Marathon League Becoming?

With Palermo joining the programme, TUI expects its Mediterranean Marathon League to attract more than 25,000 runners during 2027.

The collection now includes four major destinations across southern Europe:

• Palermo, Sicily (Italy)
• Rhodes (Greece)
• Cyprus
• Mallorca (Spain)

Together, these destinations provide year-round opportunities for travellers interested in combining competitive running with leisure holidays in some of the Mediterranean’s most popular tourism regions.

The strategy strengthens TUI’s growing focus on experience-led travel products.

Why Has TUI Extended Its Rhodes Marathon Partnership?

Alongside the Palermo announcement, TUI has confirmed that it will continue as title sponsor of the TUI Rhodes Marathon until at least 2030.

The Rhodes event has become one of the Mediterranean’s leading destination marathons, attracting increasing international participation each year.

The 2026 edition welcomed more than 5,000 runners from 65 countries, highlighting the race’s growing reputation among global running communities.

Extending the partnership demonstrates TUI’s long-term confidence in sports tourism as a driver of international travel.

How Is Sports Tourism Reshaping Travel?

Destination sporting events have become an increasingly important segment of the global tourism industry.

Marathons, cycling races, triathlons and endurance events now encourage travellers to stay longer, spend more locally and explore destinations beyond the event itself.

Participants frequently travel with family members and friends, generating additional demand for accommodation, restaurants, transport, sightseeing and cultural attractions.

For destinations such as Palermo and Rhodes, marathon tourism creates economic benefits that extend well beyond race weekend.

What Does TUI See Driving This Growth?

According to Sebastian Ebel, Chief Executive Officer of TUI Group, travellers are increasingly seeking holidays centred around their personal passions.

Whether motivated by sport, culture, food or wellness, customers are looking for experiences that combine meaningful activities with memorable destinations.

Destination marathons align closely with this trend by allowing participants to challenge themselves physically while discovering new cities and spending quality time with family and friends before and after race day.

This combination has become one of the fastest-growing areas within experiential tourism.

What Does This Mean for Mediterranean Tourism?

The expansion of TUI’s marathon portfolio reflects the broader evolution of Mediterranean tourism beyond traditional seasonal beach holidays.

Cities such as Palermo, Rhodes, Mallorca and destinations across Cyprus are increasingly positioning themselves as year-round tourism hubs capable of attracting visitors through sporting events, cultural experiences and wellness travel.

By combining internationally recognised marathon events with iconic Mediterranean destinations, TUI is helping strengthen sports tourism while encouraging longer visitor stays and greater economic benefits for local communities.

As the popularity of racecations continues to grow, destination marathons are expected to play an increasingly influential role in shaping future European travel patterns.