Where there is latent tourism appeal and a solid transport and service infrastructure, the potential for house prices to skyrocket could be a World Cup, a Wimbledon or a Grand Prix away. Investors know this, of course, which is why they are starting to pay closer attention to the sporting calendar. Is it worth investing in German property with a World Cup just round the corner? Or what about waiting for next year’s Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean? With a host of world-class sporting events to choose from, where are the best investments to be found? Here, we profile five of our favourites:

ST LUCIA

As the base for England’s cricket team for next year’s Cricket World Cup, all eyes will be on this Caribbean island. Not as well known as Barbados, the lush, tropical island of St Lucia nonetheless has many admirers and it is likely to provide property owners with a once-in-a-lifetime windfall.

Martin Lewis, a 32-year-old IT consultant and property investor from Somerset, recently bought a waterside apartment there for $1 million (about £570,000). He expects to charge rent of $1,000 a night in the lead-up to and during the World Cup. “There are only 8,000 to 9,000 hotel rooms on the island and a lot of these are booked already,” he says. “The stadium for England’ s opening game will hold 20,000 fans, so there will be a real shortfall of places to stay, meaning huge rental opportunities for investors.” His property at The Landings comes with a guarantee of at least a 6 per cent annual return on letting, after running costs, during each of the first two years of ownership. Capital growth of about 20 per cent a year is predicted.

Contact: The Landings, 0870 3891936, www.thelandingsstlucia.com

LE MANS

The Loire region is France’s second favourite holiday destination — about five million tourists visit it every year. In June thousands of motor-racing fans will descend on Le Mans for the annual 24-hour car race, which has taken place since 1923. About 80,000 Britons make the trip.

Andy Gordon, a business manager and property investor from Portsmouth, has just bought a three-bed farmhouse in Le Mans through the property company VEF for £143,000 and says that the beauty of the region and its affordability were strong lures. The ultimate appeal, however, was motor-racing. “It’s arguably the biggest event of its type in the world,” he says. “I have been coming since 1990 and you just can’t find anywhere to stay in a 30-mile radius.”

He expects to make at least £1,000 net for Le Mans week. Letting prospects are also good in the run-up to the event: many people arrive a few weeks early to see pre-qualifying races, motorbike races and to soak up the atmosphere.

Contact: VEF, 020-7515 8660, www.vefuk.com

VALENCIA

The third biggest city in Spain has already seen significant house-price growth of between 25 and 30 per cent a year in the past few years. Many experts believe that, as host to the 2007 America’s Cup yacht-racing event, its property prices could increase by another 50 per cent. Katy Katani, from the Spanish property developers Lar Sol, says that a lot of properties being bought by investors are two-bed and three-bed apartments, 20 minutes’ drive outside Valencia in an area called Benicassim on the coast. “These start at £160,000,” she says, “and you can expect rental returns of 10 to 15 per cent after running costs.” During the event, property owners can expect to take at least € 700 (£490) a week for two-bed apartments. “More people are realising that you don’t need to move to the Costa del Sol to find a mild climate,” says Katani. “You can still enjoy orange groves, a wealth of Spanish culture, a very good micro-climate and excellent flight connections in Valencia.”

Contact: Lar Sol, 0800 0015833, www.larsol.com

ISTRIA The most accessible part of Croatia from Western Europe, Istria is also home to the ATP Croatia Open tennis tournament, when many of the world’s top players descend upon the small town of Umag every July. A coastal resort with 13,000 inhabitants, Umag has a real holiday feel about it and in recent years has started to pull in growing numbers of tourists.

Sanola Keogh, from CR Investment, says that in the past few years property prices in Umag have risen by 20 to 30 per cent. “It’s now a very stable region,” she says, adding that three-bed and four-bed stone villas that are five minutes’ drive from the coast are selling for £160,000. “During the high season you can rent a two-bed apartment here for £700 a week and over £1,000 a week during the ATP tournament. There are over 70,000 spectators and only 44,000 hotel rooms, so there’s lots of scope to capitalise on healthy rental returns.”

CR Investment, 020-7194 7600, www.crinvestment.com

WHISTLER

Two hours’ drive north of Vancouver, Whistler, host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, is one of the finest ski resorts in the world. “Where can you go skiing and play golf in the same day?” asks Kevin Fleury, director of Smart Investment Properties. “It’s an ideal location to invest in because the economy is strong, you can’t build anything there and it can only increase in value as the Winter Olympics approach.”

According to Fleury, properties in Salt Lake City increased in price by 40 to 45 per cent after the 2002 Winter Olympics, and he foresees the same happening in Whistler. “You can buy a four-bed and five-bed ski lodge for about £400,000 and you will get good rental returns on that in the run-up to the Winter Olympics.”

Contact: The Whistler Real Estate Company, 00 1 604 9052837, www.whistlerrealestate.ca

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