Cycling breaks overtaking golf trips

Men in Lycra could soon be outnumbering men in shorts on manicured foreign fairways, following a rise in the popularity of cycling breaks at the expense of golf trips.

The trend has been highlighted in a World Travel Market (WTM) report in association with Euromonitor International. The report said that males of a certain age are swapping golf clubs for bikes, creating the rise of Mamils (Middle Aged Men in Lycra).

The trend is becoming particularly apparent in the USA, where the popularity of golf is declining while the number of cycling enthusiasts is growing.

American destinations such as Oregon are positioning themselves as cycle-friendly for tourists as well as residents, with research showing that visitors to the state who stay overnight spend 20% more than the average traveller.

The report was released as WTM opened in London yesterday.

At the WTM it was announced that the restoration of a dramatic cliff-face attraction in Northern Ireland is expected to open before the end of this year.

The Gobbins Cliff Path in Antrim was a much-visited spot in the early 20th century.

It was said to be even more popular than the county’s world famous Giant’s Causeway.