Community
24 April, 2025
Pumping pedals
THE fourth edition of Douglas Shire’s premier cycling and running event – Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival – is solidifying as sports tourism becomes an integral part of the multibillion-dollar leisure sector.

It comes with less than 150 days to go until the festival on September 12-14 and the news the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas has signed on as a new gold partner, specifically for the Run Port Douglas event.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland partnerships and events general manager Tara Bennett said it was exciting to see the Run Port Douglas event further extend the Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival.
“Expedia’s latest research shows that sports tourism now represents 10 per cent of global tourism spending with 44 per cent of sports fans travelling internationally for events,” she said. Ms Bennett said the Gran Fondo was crucial to the region’s sporting calendar.
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