The Rise Of Darting Holidays.

The game of darts has been around for a long time and seems to have had it’s heydays in the 70’s and 80’s when the B.D.O. grew rapidly and the Embassy competition was first promoted on T.V. In the mid 1980s the B.D.O. organised over 800 tournaments every year all over the country that included competitions held at all the major holiday centres of the times such as, Pontins, Haven and Butlins. Since then darts has slowly declined in popularity at the lower levels with pubs closing left right and centre. However, with the arrival of digital and satellite television there has been a rise in TV viewing audiences and a lot more money has gone into the game at the professional level. The big competitions not only attract huge audiences on TV, but large sporting venues are usually filled to capacity with eager spectators who want to experience the atmosphere of a live event. Spectators can be drawn from the immediate locality of the venue, but fans will often travel quite a way to see their favourite stars playing. Some of the big travel agents are cottoning on to this and now offer travel packages to many of the competitions around the country. Thomas Cook has joined up with the P.D.C. to cover their major events, (See Link) but some travel organisers arrange for fans to combine seeing a big competition with a true holiday break abroad as well as actually having the chance to compete themselves.

The BARBADOS DARTS FESTIVAL (See link) was one of the more exotic ones with a weeks winter holiday in the sun when players might be getting a bit down with the weather at home. Very sadly, the Festival Director, Michael Heal, had to undergo major surgery for cancer earlier this year, so this years Festival has been cancelled, but hopefully, only temporarily. I have given the Festival a little promotion for some years now on my websites and like many fans, would like to say that my best wishes and hopes must go out to Michael and his family.

The Jersey Festival of Darts (See Link) is a competition that was first held in the major holiday destination back in the 1980’s and saw many of the major players of the time compete there. Unfortunately the event was relegated to the history books, but with the resurgence in televised darts, it has been decided to try and revive it. It will be held in November this year and being run with the help of the Jersey Tourist board who have arranged accommodation in one of the bigger hotels on the island, it should be a great success and make a regular return to the darting calendar.

Spain has always been one of the most important holiday destinations for English people, so it was only natural that it became a regular spot for a darts holiday combined with a big competition. Being one of the first foreign holiday destinations to hold such an event the B.D.O. held their 32^nd “Toremolinos Open,” in March this year, on the Costa Del Sol. The playing formats included Men’s and Women’s, Singles, Pairs, and Mixed Triples, in games of 501, straight start. Booking for the event can only be done exclusively through the B.D.O. (See Link)

For those that don’t particularly want the traditional sun, sea and sand for their darting breaks, there are other destinations that can be found around the World on the Internet with competitions where amateur players can get a game and the chance to win fairly good prize money. One that I have recently come across is held at the end of June in Germany. The advertising literature that was sent to me was in German and the Google Translator didn’t do a very good job on it, but it appears that the competition will be held over a long weekend in Wunstorf. (See Link) Only a few hundred people will be able to compete in the main singles event, but there will also be a doubles competition. The actual competition is going to be held in a school, so no smoking or drinking will be allowed on site and the accommodation being offered is in a local pub!