Costa Daurada aims at becoming a top golf destination

Barcelona (ACN).- The International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), which is the world’s most important fair in the sector, takes place this week in the PortAventura Convention Centre, located near Salou and Tarragona, at the Catalan Costa Daurada (Southern Catalonia). Transforming the Costa Daurada into one of the main international destinations in the world of golfing is one of the objectives of tourist, economic and political stakeholders in the Province of Tarragona. Each year, this industry generates €1.2 billion in the whole of Spain, but for now it only represents less than 1 % of the tourism business in Catalonia’s southern province. This year’s edition of the International Golf Travel Market is attended by 350 companies from 65 countries and 1,400 professionals. For the seven golf clubs in the Province of Tarragona, the event is perceived as a great opportunity to multiply by 3 the number of international tourists within the next two years, reaching up to 100,000 visitors. This type of tourism has a high purchasing power and an all year round season.

“The IGTM is the most important tourist event to be held in Catalonia in 2013”, stated on Tuesday the President of Tarragona’s Provincial Council, Josep Poblet during the official opening of the trade fair at the PortAventura Convention Centre (South-eastern Catalonia). Poblet explained that the event, the most important in the sector on an international scale, can place the Province of Tarragona on “the world map of golfing”. He added that the fair represented “a turning point” for the importance of this sector “of excellence” within the tourism industry of the Costa Daurada.

Developing the golfing industry is appealing since the purchasing power of golf tourists is particularly high, 75% above the average. Moreover, since the golfing season is particularly strong in winter, an attractive golfing offer will enable the Costa Daurada to have a more rounded tourist season, with international visitors coming all year round and not only during the summer months.

Catalonia has 38 golf courses, 7 of which are located along the Costa Daurada

The International Golf Travel Market will enable operators from the Costa Daurada to have over 700 interviews with professionals from all around the world. The hosting of the IGTM in Tarragona this year is occurring just when the number of “green fees” in the Costa Daurada (people playing on golf courses) has reached record numbers, rising from 15,000 in 2012 to 36,000 at the end of the year, according to figures released ​​by Àngel Llopis, the President of the ‘Associació de Camps de Golf i Pitch and Putt de la Costa Daurada’ (Costa Daurada’s Association of golf courses). The Costa Daurada holds 7 of Catalonia’s 38 golf courses.

The number of golf tourists at the Costa Daurada to reach 100,000 within 2 or 3 years

Experts in the sector expect the IGTM fair will significantly increase the number of trips to Costa Daurada golf courses in the following months. Llopis predicted that in the next two or three years, the number of tourists would reach 100,000. Consequently, it is believed that the IGTM will help Catalonia make a progress of “eight or ten years” in promoting the destination worldwide, stated Llopis.

65 different countries are represented at the IGTM with 350 participating tour operators, travel agencies, internet booking companies, in addition to about 1,400 professionals. The event is organised by The Global Golf Tourism Organisation and supported by the Tourist Board of the Province of Tarragona (which manages the tourist brands of Costa Daurada and the Terres de l’Ebre), Turespaña, the Catalan Tourism Agency and the Association of Golf Courses of the Costa Daurada.