The Royal Spanish Golf Federation (RFEG), the Spanish Association of Golf Courses (AECG) and IE University have signed a collaboration agreement to promote the preparation of a report on the economic impact of the golf industry in Spain.

The signing was attended by Jaime Salaverri, First Vice President of the RFEG; Claudia Hernández, President of the AECG; and Marco Trombetta, Vice Rector of IE University.

This collaboration agreement aims to produce a report defining and evaluating the key parameters that characterize the golf industry in Spain and to analyze this sector's direct contribution to the Spanish economy. The report, led by Professor Juan Santaló, will be presented at the end of 2019.

Jaime Salaverri, First Vice President of the RFEG (Royal Spanish Golf Federation), believes that “these types of studies are vitally important for our sport because they generate data that allow us to measure the objective contribution of golf activity in all kinds of areas, from the purely sporting to issues related to tourism, the labor and real estate markets, or health, to give a few specific examples. Once we have the study, we will be able to sit down with public administrations and various stakeholders from other sectors in a much better position to highlight the importance of golf in our country and establish the best strategies.”.

Claudia Hernández, President of the AECG, emphasizes that “the group of golf courses we represent needed an initiative like the one being launched today. We must focus on what is truly important about Spanish golf. We are going to eliminate tired clichés and false stigmas about our business. We are convinced that the results of the study will reveal the true reality: the golf industry is an engine of job creation and wealth generation, and one of the decisive factors in choosing Spain as a tourist destination. Our offering is unparalleled worldwide, both in quality and quantity.”

“With the signing of this agreement, IE University continues its commitment to the creation and dissemination of knowledge through research. Professor Juan Santaló will provide results that, based on academic rigor, will help the golf sector address all relevant issues using concrete and reliable data,” stated Marco Trombetta, Vice-Rector of IE University. .

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