Huge economic impact of golf in Spain
Spain is the most popular place golf holiday destination for European golfers. This is because golf brings in more than 1.2 million visitors from other countries every year. Golf in Spain brings in almost 13 billion euros and supports more than 12.000 direct and indirect jobs.
Both the average daily spending and the average length of stay are higher than normal for this segment.
Of the slightly more than four million registered players in Europe, more than a quarter come to play golf in Spain. The country is also a leader in the organization of international professional tournaments in continental Europe.
The main markets for golf in Spain are the British, Swedish, German and Irish. Costa del Sol, Madrid, and Costa Dorada reap the greatest economic benefits by being Spain’s main golf holiday destinations.
Luis Nigorra, president of the Spanish Association of Golf Courses, indicates that 2018 and 2019 were the best years for golf in Spain. The 1.2 million tourists who came to Spain to play golf in 2018 generated almost 10 million green fees.
“In 2022, although there is still no complete data, the volumes of foreign players prior to the pandemic recovered, and so far in 2023 the trend continues, which has allowed the billing figures to improve”, says Nigorra.
Golf impacts the Spanish economy by more than 5,400,000,000 euros annually. If the indirect and induced effects are factored in, the number jumps to about 13 billion.
In terms of jobs, the direct, indirect, and induced effects add up to more than 14,000 full-time jobs, 95% of which are permanent. However, more than 121,000 jobs are created due to the money that players spend on their golf holidays. In total, there are more than 121.000 jobs.
“The busiest times are in March-April and October-November, outside of the high season of July-August, which contributes to seasonally adjust the profile of tourism”, says Nigorra.
Book your golf holidays in Spain with Tee Times Golf Agency and play on some of the best golf courses in Europe.
You can also read other posts about Golf in Spain:
Sotogrande officially declared as the best golf destination in Spain
Golfer Ana Peláez is the new ambassador of Finca Cortesin
Izki Golf hosts the second round of the PGA Spain Golf Tour
