Barcelona, May 30, 2025 – Carlos Carrillo, CEO and Co-Founder of the Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT), attended the World Padel Summit this week in Barcelona, where he connected with global leaders and reinforced APPT’s growing presence in the international padel community.
Reflecting on the experience, Carrillo described it as “a great experience,” highlighting how the event is becoming a magnet for international stakeholders eager to enter the sport. “The WPS is attracting the main leaders in padel from across the world,” he said. “More and more foreigners want to jump into the padel industry—which is exactly one of the summit’s objectives.”
Carrillos presence at the summit underlined APPT’s increasing role in the global padel community. Throughout the three-day event, he met with fellow executives, investors, and sport development professionals, aiming to raise awareness about the booming padel scene in countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
“Asia, and in particular East Asia may have joined the global padel movement a bit later, but the momentum is undeniable,” Carrillo noted. “There’s a strong wave of new clubs, players, and investors – and it’s only growing.With almost 5 billion people in the Asian continent, the potential is undeniable. The rest of the world has to take notice.”
While not a formal speaker, Carrillo used the summit as an opportunity to network, share APPT’s current developments, and build strategic relationships. A key milestone discussed was APPT’s new position as the second-largest padel tour in the world by number of players and participating countries.
Carrillo also shared early insights into APPT’s roadmap for 2026, including expansion into new countries, a greater number of sanctioned tournaments, and initiatives to support the development of youth and female players across the Asia-Pacific region.
“The response was overwhelming,” Carrillo said. “We’ve become a go-to reference—not just for global brands looking to enter Asia, but also for Asian players, investors, and organizers who need a trusted partner in the global ecosystem.”
The World Padel Summit, held at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, gathered more than 6,000 participants and over 150 exhibitors from around the world. Organized by Fira de Barcelona and the International Padel Cluster, the event served as a major platform for promoting padel’s international potential, as it continues to be the fastest growing sport in the world.
Carrillo’s visit reflects APPT’s ongoing mission to connect the Asia-Pacific region to the wider padel ecosystem. With more than 20 events planned across the region in 2025, APPT is poised to help shape the sport’s future on a truly global scale.
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Registration remains Open for upcoming APPT Tournaments in Bangkok and Lombok with more to come throughout the year.
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