The Diario Información newspaper in Alicante has been chosen as the venue for the presentation of the Economic Impact Study of Golf on the Costa Blanca, prepared by the Alicante Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Provincial Tourism Board and the Association of Golf Course Entrepreneurs of the Costa Blanca.

Presiding over the event, and in order of appearance, were Fernando Ramón, Director of Club Información as host and moderator of the event; Salvador Lucas, President of the Association of Golf Course Entrepreneurs of the Costa Blanca (ACGCB); Enrique Garrigós, President of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce; Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation; César Sánchez, President of the Alicante Provincial Council.

In addition, the event was attended by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel García Margallo, the Provincial Deputy for Tourism Eduardo Dolón and other provincial and municipal authorities, representatives of all economic sectors of the province, Andrés Torrubia, President of the FGCV, and numerous media outlets.

Salvador Lucas began the speeches by summarizing the AGCCB project, with a history of almost 25 years promoting the destination "until having managed to position the Costa Blanca as one of the main destinations in Europe for the practice of golf and in one of the bastions of the tourism industry of the province", as later supported by the data of the Study.

Salvador Lucas highlighted that this study serves to establish the value of golf in Alicante and to "bring the reality of our sport closer to society as a whole," given that golf is often disparaged due to a lack of information and stereotypes, focusing particularly on the environmental aspect, since "golf courses enrich the vegetation and fauna, creating new sustainable ecosystems in areas that were previously arid and semi-desert.".

Salvador Lucas concluded by stating that golf, “not only creates prosperity and thousands of jobs in our province, but also generates sustainable ecosystems and is a healthy cardio exercise.”.

Secondly, Enrique Garrigós took the floor, thanking the Provincial Council for entrusting the Chamber of Commerce with the preparation of this study and highlighting that "the results obtained deserve reflection from Alicante society to value the wealth that golf is generating in our province.".

Next, Carlos Mazón, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, presented the data from the study (summary in the downloadable document below), highlighting "the invaluable quality that golf brings to tourism in our community and province; its ability to reduce seasonality, since golf tourists visit us during the low season for the rest of the tourism industry.".

Carlos Mazón also highlighted that “golf tourists spend significantly more during their stay than the average traditional tourist, which also has repercussions for other sectors and activities such as hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis, car rentals, etc. All of this has been very well reflected in the study,” noting that the impact of golf in Alicante represents 440 million euros annually, 0.81% of the provincial GDP – “which is roughly equivalent to the combined GDP of the towns of Benissa and Finestrat” – and 1.271% of employment in the province.

The fourth to speak was Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, who stated that he was "delighted that rigorous figures are finally being put to a reality that we in the sector already knew.".

Gonzaga Escauriaza called on the journalists present to impartially disseminate the spectacular data revealed by the study and concluded by praising the Costa Blanca as a "golf destination, with magnificent golf courses, phenomenal weather and an airport with direct flights to half of Europe.".

Finally, César Sánchez, President of the Alicante Provincial Council, closed the speeches by congratulating the Tourism Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and the ACGCB on the study. He again emphasized golf's ability to reduce seasonality, attracting high-spending tourists during the slowest months for the tourism sector.

César Sánchez emphasized that “the province of Alicante offers 365 days of good weather for outdoor sports, such as golf.” He also commented that the regional golf law mandates the use of recycled water for irrigation, and the courses are exemplary in their efficient use of this precious resource. He concluded by highlighting “the more than 7,500 jobs that the study has shown golf generates in our province.”.

Download the main conclusions on the economic impact of golf on the Costa Blanca below, in the Related Links section.

SOURCE: Costa Blanca Golf Courses Association