Golf tourism in Europe is experiencing a renaissance , with visitors flocking to top tourist destinations such as Algarve in Portugal, Marbella in Spain, and Paphos in Cyprus. Despite early signs that demand in come sectors appears to be tailing off, others continue to go from strength to strength. But can the trend continue?
Golf tourism in Portugal increased by a remarkable 11.5% in 2022, following an 86% surge in bookings in 2021 compared to 2019. Similarly, Marbella witnessed a 7.5% rise in golf tourism during the same year, highlighting the growing popularity of golf as a tourist attraction across Europe.
The post-pandemic world and the easing of COVID restrictions have been major factors driving the surge in golf tourism in Europe. After spending years confined to their homes, many tourists are now eager to travel and enjoy outdoor activities, and golf is one of the top choices for many. Additionally, golf was one of the first sports allowed after the lifting of lockdowns, which has led to a significant rise in new players.
Golfers are gravitating towards certain destinations, with Algarve in Portugal being the most popular among them. Vilamoura in Algarve experienced a 16% rise in tourism in 2022, as compared to the previous year. Cyprus, too, has witnessed a significant surge in tourism spending, with an estimated €223 million spent on golf packages out of the total tourism spend of €2.4 billion in 2022.
Luxury developments in golfing destinations are flourishing, and the cost of living crisis is not impacting the wealthy who are keen on investing in these developments. Quinta do Lago, a luxury golf resort near Faro Airport, has three new developments that are almost sold out. The starting price for a villa is €3.5 million, and it seems that demand is not slowing down anytime soon. Marbella, another top golfing destination in Europe, has also witnessed a 13% year-on-year increase in demand.
While golf tourism is thriving, there is a noticeable slowdown in demand for budget-friendly holidays. Although bookings for golf resorts remain higher than average, many of them witnessed a softening of demand towards the end of 2022. The cost of living crisis is starting to impact households with lower incomes, which is a cause for concern for the industry.
Turkey in particular has witnessed a considerable slowdown in bookings. However the recent earthquake and widespread devastation that they caused is most likely the driving factor behind this rapid reduction. Industry experts are confident of a bounceback in tourism for the country by 2024.
Golf tourism is experiencing a boom in Europe, driven by the post-pandemic uplift, the easing of COVID restrictions, and the growing number of new players. Algarve in Portugal is the most popular destination among golfers, while luxury developments are flourishing in popular golfing destinations. However, the industry needs to address the slowdown in demand for budget-friendly holidays and work towards making golf accessible to all. Despite the challenges, the future of golf tourism in Europe looks bright.
