Pickleball boom fuels sports tech growth in the Philippines

CEBU, Philippines — The rapid rise of pickleball and other fitness-oriented recreational activities is opening a new avenue for investment in the Philippines, driving demand not only for sports facilities but also for the technology platforms and lifestyle businesses that support them.

The trend is playing out in Cebu, where The Courts of Cebu, a pickleball and social club, has recorded more than 2,300 completed bookings since April through Onda Fit, a locally developed software platform that manages reservations, payments and membership operations.

The figures offer an early glimpse into the commercial potential emerging around recreational sports, which are increasingly attracting entrepreneurs and investors seeking exposure to the growing wellness economy.

What began as a niche pastime has evolved into a business opportunity spanning real estate, food and beverage, digital services and community-focused venues.

Operators are investing in dedicated courts, while technology providers are building platforms to help facilities manage growing customer volumes.

“Cebu is in the middle of a pickleball boom, and we’re a club, not a call center,” said Jose Miguel “JMi” Gullas, founder of The Courts of Cebu. “Managing every booking by hand was never going to work.”

The Courts of Cebu opened during a period of surging interest in racket sports and positioned itself as more than a traditional sports facility.

Inspired by community-centered venues in Southeast Asia, the club combines athletic activity with social and lifestyle experiences, reflecting a broader shift in consumer spending toward wellness and experiential leisure.

The facility plans to expand its offerings beyond court rentals, including new spaces for local food and beverage concepts, creating additional revenue streams from visitors who increasingly view sports venues as social destinations.

The growth has also created opportunities for technology startups. Before opening, The Courts of Cebu became the first customer of Onda Fit, a Cebu-based platform that consolidates bookings, digital payments, customer management and analytics for courts and fitness studios.

Rather than adopting an established international provider, the club opted to back a local startup at a time when both businesses were still building their market presence.

“What made Onda Fit stand out was their local DNA,” Gullas said. “They offered exactly the solution we needed, and they were right here in Cebu.”

The partnership highlights how the expansion of recreational sports is creating demand for supporting infrastructure beyond physical facilities. As participation increases, operators are turning to digital tools to automate transactions, manage memberships and analyze customer behavior.

“The Courts of Cebu believed in us before we had a track record to point to,” said Ana Patricia Loren, chief executive officer of Onda Fit. “Their feedback has helped shape the platform and improve the experience for future clients.”

For investors, the growth of pickleball highlights  a shift toward wellness-driven spending, an area that has generated interest globally as consumers allocate more discretionary income toward health, fitness and social experiences.

In Cebu and other urban centers, the trend is fueling investment not only in courts and sports complexes but also in adjacent sectors such as hospitality, food and beverage, retail and sports technology.

As participation continues to rise, operators are increasingly viewing recreational facilities as multi-purpose lifestyle assets capable of generating recurring revenue from memberships, events, retail sales and digital services.

he more than 2,300 bookings processed at The Courts of Cebu in just a few months suggest that demand is already reaching a scale that can support an ecosystem of businesses built around the country’s growing appetite for active lifestyles.