It all started with one of those client requests that makes you pause for a second. No destination. No hotel chain. No long list of luxury extras. Just a simple message: “We want pickleball.”
It was specific, confident, and non-negotiable. They wanted it included, easy to access, and genuinely available on their holiday — not something vaguely mentioned in a brochure or “subject to availability” in the small print.
At the time, I’ll admit, I had to look up exactly what pickleball was, and if you don’t know…
Pickleball is a paddle sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s played on a smaller court than tennis, with a lower net and a lightweight paddle, using a perforated plastic ball. It can be played as singles or, most commonly, doubles — which is where its social side really comes to life.
The beauty of it is how quickly people pick it up. There’s a very short learning curve, so within minutes you can go from watching to actually playing and enjoying a rally. That accessibility is a huge part of why it has grown so quickly around the world, from its origins in the United States to resorts, cruise ships (there was a court on EXPLORA I) and communities everywhere.
And once I understood what my client really needed from it, the request made complete sense.
This wasn’t about a trend or an activity list. It was about how they wanted to spend their days. A bit of movement in the morning, something sociable, then space to relax and reset. Simple, easy, unforced.
Pickleball, for them, wasn’t an add-on — it was the holiday.
So I treated it exactly as I would any serious travel requirement: if it couldn’t be guaranteed, it wasn’t an option.
We found the right fit, and they went away and absolutely loved it.
The first opportunity I had to try it myself, I did — and I loved it straight away.
I was at Beachcombers’s Shandrani in Mauritius when I spotted a pickleball court. The same thing I had been carefully sourcing for clients was right there in front of me. So I thought I’d just take a quick look.
Within minutes, I was playing, and within a few points I understood exactly why it’s caught on the way it has.
It’s easy to learn, but surprisingly addictive. You tell yourself you’ll just have a go, and suddenly you’re fully involved — laughing, moving, competing, and completely absorbed in the moment.
What really stood out to me, though, is who plays it, and why that matters so much for travel.
Pickleball attracts a wide mix of people. It works for those who want something active but not physically demanding, but it’s just as popular with younger couples, friends, and multi-generational families. I’ve even seen grandparents playing alongside grandchildren.
That mix is rare in sport, and it’s part of why it fits so naturally into holidays. No one feels left out. No one feels out of their depth. You can join in, play a game, laugh a lot, and then move on with your day.
It also slots perfectly into travel life. You don’t need hours or planning. A game in the morning, then the beach, lunch, a book in the shade, and maybe another match later. It’s active without feeling like exercise, social without being forced, and competitive without being intense.
And perhaps most importantly, it creates connection. On holiday, people are already more open than they are at home, and pickleball becomes this easy shared experience where strangers become teammates within minutes.
That combination of simplicity, inclusivity and fun is really what explains its growth. It just fits the way people want to travel right now.
It also reinforced something I see time and again in travel. The most meaningful holidays aren’t built around big, obvious decisions. They’re built around small, personal things people genuinely care about, even the unexpected ones..