Sporting holidays are destined to become a winning trend, according to the latest research from ITB Berlin.
According to the latest survey of the World Travel Monitor, over the last five years there has been a double-digit increase in sporting holidays among European tourists, which has even overtaken cruises, which five years ago ranked ahead of sporting holidays.
Germans in particular are keenest on sports, and account for 42 per cent of the nine million sporting holidays taken by Europeans abroad.
At 14 per cent the Dutch rank second. In other European markets sporting holidays make up only six per cent or less.
Among sporting holidaymakers the most popular destination is Austria, which among Europeans attracts 24 per cent of the market, followed by Italy and Germany, which each account for 11 per cent.
During the last five years Germans also preferred Austria for testing their sporting limits.
At 42 per cent Austria ranks ahead of Italy (18 per cent) and Switzerland (14 per cent).
The most popular activities among European sporting holidaymakers are hiking (38 per cent) and cycling tours (23 per cent).