Golf generates an economic impact in Spain of 15,937 million euros and moves 1.4 million tourists. These are data from the “II Study on the Economic Impact of Golf in Spain”, developed by IE University, presented today within the framework of the PaySpain.Golf project developed by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Spanish Association of Golf Courses. This report is complemented by another on the relationship between golf courses and water, prepared by the University of Cádiz, with which the sector wants to highlight its role as economic engine and its commitment to sustainability.
The IE University study, with data from 2023, confirms that Spain is consolidating itself as a European leader in golf tourism. “Taking into account that in Europe there are 4.6 million registered players of this sport, the figure positions our country as leader in this tourism and highlights its enormous growth potential,” insist the Federation and the farm employers’ association.
The fdirect operation of golf courses is 875 million of euros. The authors of the report highlight that its power as an economic engine lies in the direct and indirect spending associated with sport, which benefits sectors such as hospitality, restaurants and transportation, reinforcing the multiplier effect in the economy until reaching 16,000 million euros annually. That is to say: of every ten euros generated by golf, only 1.1 come from fan spending on the course.
Real estate boost
Furthermore, the impact of golf tourism is reflected in the foreign real estate investment, with 382,755 homes acquired by golf tourists in Spain, valued at 82,342 million euros. “This reinforces the attractiveness of Spain as a vacation and sports destination, strengthening both the real estate market and the national economy,” they say from the sector.
Andalusia, with 97 proprietary companies of one or more fields, it is the community where the industry of this sport is strongest. They are followed by Castilla y León (38), Valencia (35), Catalonia (34) and Madrid (26). In total there are 397 fields in Spain.
This segmentor created 132,994 jobs of quality, “contributing significantly to the deseasonalization of tourism”. 93.4% of employees in the companies that manage golf courses have permanent contracts and 94.7% work full time.
According to the study’s conclusions, the foreign golf tourist who visits Spain tends to stay 58% longer than the average tourist (11.9 days per 7.5 on average). 30% declare themselves to be of high income (compared to 9% of the average tourist. The high and upper-middle income tourism It represents 61% of golf tourism, compared to only 33% of average tourism in our country.
The water
The “Report on Spanish Golf Courses and their relationship with water” reveals that the 56% of golf courses use water that comes from unconventional sourcessuch as regenerated and desalinated water, and that 92% of the fields apply water saving practices.
Spain leads the use of reclaimed water in Europe, with notable examples in the Costa del Sol, Canary Islands and Balearic Islandswhere more than 75% of the fields use this sustainable resource.
Furthermore, each cubic meter of water used generates a reconomic return of 147 eurosof which 89% have a positive impact on sectors outside of golf.
PlaySpain.golf
PlaySpain.golf has been developed as a roadshow through the 17 Spanish communities until its closing today in Madrid, at the headquarters of the Secretary of State for Tourism of the Government of Spain. It has received European financing through the funds Next Generation.
The event closed Ana Muñoz Llábrésgeneral director of Tourism Policies of the Secretary of State for Tourism, who highlighted that this is “a backbone project, which brings together the public-private alliancethroughout the national territory and that integrates the entire value chain. An example of sustainability, from a triple point of view, but more as a virtuous circle that allows maintaining and improving the offer of golf courses.”
Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, highlighted “the importance of communication constant to be able to show outside the sector the economic drive of golf and its catalyzing importance, as well as the example that the sector is giving to many others of responsible use of water.”
Luis Nigorrapresident of the Spanish Association of Golf Courses, emphasized “some data that proudly demonstrates that we are leaders in many things, but we still have a long way to go before these data penetrate society, and with it we can help, among other things, to increase the percentage of profitable fields“
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