![The movement that Bill Gates also does… Pickleball is causing a stir even in domestic hotels [여행+트렌드]](https://i0.wp.com/wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202410/14/news-p.v1.20241010.44f792ae3e0944f1a67a96d06bbd409a_R.jpg?w=1240&resize=1240,&ssl=1 "The movement that Bill Gates also does… Pickleball is causing a stir even in domestic hotels [여행+트렌드]")
Pickleball is the hottest leisure activity in America right now. It first became popular among celebrities after word of mouth spread that it was particularly effective for weight loss.
Hollywood actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Emma Watson, who are well-known in Korea, are pickleball enthusiasts. The pickleball population in the United States is estimated at 40 million.
In 2022, Bill Gates even posted a video of himself playing pickleball on his blog. With the title “I started playing pickleball 50 years ago.”
Pickleball was first started by American businessman and politician Joel Pritchard in 1965. It evolved from playing with plastic balls and ping pong sticks at the badminton court.
It is a mixture of table tennis, badminton, and tennis. The court is about the size of a badminton court, 6.1m wide and 13.4m tall.
The racket is similar in shape to a table tennis stick, but is about twice the size. The ball is made of plastic and has holes in it.
It exists in Korea too… ‘Pickleball Seoul Open’ has been held since last year.
The pickleball craze is slowly spreading in Korea as well. The hotel industry was quick to take action. The first to respond was Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul.
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul has been holding the ‘Pickleball Seoul Open’ every fall since last year. For the first competition in 2023, the basketball court was decorated as a pickleball court.
Although it was the first tournament to be held, 534 players participated, including 60 foreign players, and the number of people who came to watch the game was 200 per day on average, reaching a total of 800 people.
The ‘2nd Pickleball Seoul Open’ was held for four days from the 3rd to the 6th. A total of 630 players participated in the game, an increase of about 100 compared to last year, but the audience gathered more than 1,500.
Thanks to the enthusiastic response, Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul has been operating a permanent pickleball court since May. Currently, the outdoor space includes two tennis courts and three pickleball courts.
AAB Manager Kim Yun-hwan, who organized the 2nd Pickleball Seoul Open, introduced, “The Pickleball Seoul Open is the pickleball tournament with the largest prize money in Asia.”
AAB (All About Ballin’), a sports culture community brand, currently operates Banyan Tree’s outdoor multi-court AAB Park and is also conducting a training program.
Pickleball lessons operated by AAB are only for Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul Fitness members.
The Pickleball Academy, which started this summer, currently has about 20 students and holds pickleball classes almost one day a week.
Starting in mid-October, we plan to recruit the ‘1st Banyan Tree Pickleball Club’. It promotes itself as a social club where people can interact with each other based on pickleball.
Pickleball is popular in Jeju… Lotte Hotel creates a dedicated court
Lotte Hotel Jeju has installed two pickleball courts in its outdoor tennis court starting this month. A pickleball court was created using the empty space next to the existing tennis court and is currently in operation.
One of the areas where pickleball is most actively spreading is Jeju Island. It is said that dedicated pickleball courts are being built in various places, including elementary schools in Jeju Island.
In line with this trend, Lotte Hotel Jeju was the first hotel in Jeju to introduce pickleball. A basalt stone wall was built around the court to provide a unique atmosphere of Jeju Island.
Currently, Lotte Hotel Jeju pickleball court operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and reservations are required.
The usage fee per court is based on a maximum of 4 people and 2 hours. Hotel guests as well as the general public can use the court.
Lotte Hotel Jeju marketing manager Shin Ha-neul explained, “Pickleball is a new sport that is growing rapidly, and can be easily enjoyed by a variety of age groups, from beginners and children to the elderly.”
Lotte Hotel Jeju plans to conduct pickleball lessons and experience programs for kids through ACE, a leisure entertainment department.
Additionally, a pickleball experience event will be held during the month of October to commemorate the opening of the pickleball court. Two teams are selected per day on a first-come, first-served basis, equipment is lent out for free, and there is no court fee.
Hong Ji-yeon Travel + Reporter
