Spain Golf Holidays

In 2022, Costa del Sol achieved a new revenue high of 17,081 million euros, 18.3% more than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic and the best year ever for the tourism sector of Costa del Sol, even though the number of tourists slightly decreased.

"in 2022 there has been an incredible rebound of tourist activity in the province of Malaga, quite close to the figures recorded in 2019", said Francisco Salado, head of the Provincial Council and Turismo Costa del Sol.

Salado has said, "we started the year 2022 with the intention of equaling the income of 2019 and we have been 2,639 million over".

The arrival of 12.8 million visitors in 2022 is impressive, however, it's 269,724 fewer than the 2019 total (a decrease of 2.07%).

The great commitment to promoting tourism that is being carried out in Costa del Sol has seen its benefits, as indicated by the tourist data attained in 2022, as noted by the president of the Provincial Council and Turismo Costa del Sol.

The domestic market has been key in these results, representing close to 42% of tourists staying in hotels and apartments. The Netherlands became the second-largest foreign market for this popular golf holiday destination, with a massive increase of 18% compared to 2019.

Salado indicated that different actions will be carried out in order to recover the records prior to the pandemic crisis in the British and German markets, as well as to consolidate the data from markets where significant growth has been obtained.

Likewise, Salado has also said that a great commitment will be made to the US market and Canada in 2023, working to consolidate the direct route to New York, increase frequencies and connections with the US, "all this within the framework of an ambitious work project with the connectivity table to increase routes, not only from the United States but from other points".

Initiatives to boost tourism in the countryside of the province are also on the agenda for 2023, as suggested by Salado.

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As a leading sports and tourist destination in southern Europe, La Manga Club is gaining a lot of attention. Golf Digest magazine has once again recognized the resort's sports facilities in the 'Best International Resorts' section in the 'Best Golf Resort' category at the seventh edition of the Golf Digest Editor's Choice Awards.

To date, this publication has given it two mentions in this section for its success. The first one was in 2017. To top it all off, the magazine named La Manga Club as continental Europe's best complex for 2019.

La Manga Club has won numerous awards for being a top tourist, sports, and residential resort in Europe for many years. The top golf and travel publications have given the resort awards for the quality of its facilities, such as its unique spaces for sports activities within the complex, its prestigious golf and tennis academies, its status as a luxury vacation spot and venue for social and business events, and its accommodations.

The resort's unique offer as a vacation, sports, and leisure destination in the region of Murcia and in southeastern Europe has helped La Manga Club win a number of awards, including Best Golf Destination in Europe by the World Golf Awards, Best Resort in Spain by Condé Nast Traveler, Best Sports Complex in Europe by the World Travel Awards, and Best Golf Hotel in Europe by the World Golf Awards, among others.

It has also been nominated for Best International Conference Hotel, Best Golf Complex in the World, Top 5 Best Golf Resorts in the World, and many other awards.

The ninth World Golf Awards were just held, and La Manga Club was nominated for three awards: Best Golf Course in Spain, Best Golf Course in Europe, and Best Golf Hotel in Spain.

The resort includes a 5-star Hotel, Hotel Principe Felipe, 3 worldwide renowned 18-hole golf courses (La Manga south; La Manga north and La Manga west) with a lively Clubhouse, a 28 court Tennis Center (where you will find a shop, gym, and reception), 8 FIFA standard size football pitches, a Cricket Center and more than a dozen bars and restaurants that have a variety of gastronomy on offer.

The La Manga Club dates back to 1972, when California-born golfer and businessman Gregory Peters invested in the creation of a complex comparable to those already in existence in the United States. It was a pioneer resort in Spain because it was dedicated nearly solely to golf and was constructed in less than eleven months. La Manga Club was the first resort in Spain to debut with two golf courses, courses that debuted at a period when golf was virtually unknown in the area.

Peters placed Gary Player, the legendary golfer, at the centre of the golf courses. Manuel Ballesteros, the brother of Severiano Ballesteros, and Victor Garcia, the father of Sergio Garcia, came after him.

Alongside these golf courses, additional amenities have been developed over time, including a hotel, residences, football fields, and a tennis center with 28 courts. Manolo Santana, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, oversaw the operation of this tennis center.

This is La Manga Club. Come and discover.

Camiral Golf & Wellness is the new name of the PGA Catalunya, located in Costa Brava and home to the world-famous Stadium Course, has been one of the top resorts in Continental Europe for over twenty years, making it a must-play for the most discerning players from across the globe. The renowned Tour Course, Golf Academy, and Golf Hub have ushered in a new era for the European Tour Destination and the DP World Tour.

Camiral Golf & Wellness combines high-level golf, its five-star Hotel Camiral, a state-of-the-art Wellness Center, and a residential area designed by internationally renowned architects that now brings together all the experiences under one name.

The name Camiral comes from the ancient Roman road that passes through the middle of the resort and links France and Spain by way of a path that may still be hiked or biked today. It will also be the name of the five-star hotel that opened in 2021 in the property's core next to a state-of-the-art spa.

Camiral Golf & Wellness plans to build a new three-hectare naturalized lake where water sports may be played, along with a 700-square-meter pool and a Lake Club with a restaurant and bar, solidifying its standing as a one-of-a-kind leisure and wellness destination. There will be an initial expenditure of around €8.4 million and the project launch date is set for the beginning of 2023.

“The time is right to take this step on our journey, reflecting how far we have come as a golf resort and our future as a golf and wellness destination. With the support of our owners, Denis and Catherine O'Brien, we will continue to have significant investments in our two golf courses and the academy facilities. We will also continue to work closely with our valued partners, including European Tour Destinations”, explains David Plana, CEO of Camiral Golf & Wellness.

More than a million euros were put into the golf courses last year, and the Stadium Course in particular benefited from eco-friendly additions that cut water use by a quarter. When it comes to ecological and sustainable management of golf, Camiral Golf & Wellness is one of the few resorts in the world to have a full-time biologist on staff.

"As PGA Catalunya, we're a household name in golf. We've hit a milestone. As the world changes, so does golf, and we can better appreciate our natural places. While we can push our limits on the golf course, we can also withdraw and reconnect. Camiral Golf & Wellness promises tourists, members, and residents a place to play, disengage and reconnect", says Plana.

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In the last two weeks of December, London Heathrow Airport anticipates at least 3 million travelers. At least 300,000 travelers will depart from Edinburgh and other Scottish airports. Ferries and cars will also carry many passengers over the English Channel.

The British Association of Travel Agencies (ABTA) predicts that as many as five million Britons may spend Christmas away from home this year, with many of them visiting Spain in search of warmer weather during the cold wave sweeping the UK.

The Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, and the South of Spain (Costa de la Luz and Costa del Sol) account for 65% of the demand for bookings this time of the year when compared to other European and North African locations with a comparable combination of sun, beach, and golf.

The top ten of this ranking of reservations, according to the Travel Weekly website, has the Canary Islands (40%) in first, followed by the South of Spain (17,2%) in second, and the Balearic Islands (8,5%) in third. Portugal is ranked sixth on this list.

The Canary Islands have positioned themselves as the most popular destination for the British in this winter season 2022-2023 although, according to the British travel agency On The Beach, the rapid growth of holiday reservations in countries with cheaper offers, taking advantage of the current economic uncertainty could affect the region in the future.

«It is not surprising that the Canary Islands occupy the first place as a winter destination.", says Zoe Harris, director of customer service for On the Beach.

Due to 'energy tourism' and economic instability, the Canary Islands have become a popular winter sun destination for Britons, even surpassing more distant destinations like the Caribbean.

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To help recover the good statistics in Huelva, the Provincial Tourism Board of the Huelva Provincial Council, together with the Provincial Association of Golf Courses of Huelva have shown the magnificent offer offered by the destination, both aimed at the professional sector/specialized tour operator in the main European markets, as well as at the final customer, who seeks golf holidays.

In this sense, a new edition of the Huelva la Luz International Golf Trophy event has been held in Liverpool from July 5 to 7, framed in the Special Actions Agreement signed between the Huelva Provincial Tourist Board and the Public Company for Andalusian Tourism. Around 20 tour operators of 6 nationalities had the opportunity to hold meetings and commercial relations with all the Huelva golf offer that has participated in this event.

It is a direct action to present the destination of close public-private collaboration to a very specialized segment that offers the possibility of holding meetings during two very favorable days to approach commercial agreements for the next golf season, of vital importance for the Huelva destination (Costa de la Luz), that is flanked to the east and west by other well-established golf destinations.
The golf industry, like the rest of the tourism industry, has had a terrible time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, but signs of recovery are beginning to be seen in the flow of visitors, notably international golfers, which exhibits an evident feature of helping to deseasonalize.

Figures from previous years show that this is a key sector for tourism in the province of Huelva, generating employment, a high level of spending and a deseasonalizing element par excellence.

According to the golf occupancy data at the end of last May, taking as a reference occupancy data from the month of September 2021 - the start of the golf tour operation season - 176,586 green fees were sold.

Although facing the last half of the year, there is optimism on the part of the sector to be able to reach the volume of departures achieved in 2019, which represents a direct impact for the destination of just over 32.5 million euros, in addition to generating around 23% of the total overnight stays of the destination among all the segments.

Lanzarote Golf has made a commitment to fine dining with the opening of its new restaurant, La Honorable. Advised by chef Juanjo López, the golf course is devoted to make this place one of the most remarkable social locations in Lanzarote (Canary Islands).

La Honorable is the perfect place to relax and savour a meal with friends or family since it combines the best of both worlds: a comfortable setting and ample time. The restaurant's chefs, Cipriano Fernández and Alejandro Martín, make the items on the menu with this in mind, intending for them to be shared among several diners.

The golf course and the horizon are visible from La Honorable's terrace. All of this is presented in a one-of-a-kind space characterised by soft, flattering illumination and a sleek, contemporary aesthetic.

Everything that can be harvested from the land and water of Lanzarote is the main attraction. All of the fruits and vegetables used in the fine cuisine served at Finca Machinda come straight from the farm. This culinary offering, created in a well-known regional style, is appreciated for its genuine flavour and straightforward preparation.

Lanzarote Golf, designed by Ron Kirby, is a golf course that respects the local land and blends in with the natural landscape of the island.

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Tourism appears to be somewhat immune to the current economic situation since it continues to grow. According to INE data recently issued, the total number of nights spent in Spanish hotels in October topped 30 million, matching the total for 2019, a year of record tourism.

More than 1.8 million people travelled to Catalonia in October, while 1,090,642 visited the Community of Madrid.

The province of Barcelona saw over 2.9 million hotel stays, while the province of Madrid saw about 2.32 million. Revenue per available room increased year-on-year in both cases.

Reality shows that Málaga is still not in the same tourism category as Barcelona and Madrid. In October, a total of 537,555 tourists descended upon Málaga, resulting in 1.9 million hotel stays.

Overall price increases and the current economic situation don't appear to be reducing demand at the time. Overnight stays at Spanish hotels topped 30 million in October, up 25.4% from the same month in 2021. Spanish residents accounted for almost 32.6% of the total 9.7 million overnight visitors. Meanwhile, the number of overnight stays from foreign visitors reached above 20 million.

This October, travellers stayed an average of 3.1 nights, a 4.6% increase from October 2021.

The number of tourists spending the night in Spain rose by 98.1% during the first 10 months of 2022 compared to the corresponding period the year before.

Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community (Costa Blanca) were the main destinations for travelers residing in Spain in October, with 18.7%, 13%, and 11.5% of the total overnight stays, respectively.

On the other hand, the Balearic Islands continued to be the most popular tourist destination for foreign tourists, accounting for 26.1% of all of their overnight stays. The Canary Islands were the second most popular destination, with 25.5%, followed by Catalonia with 16.7%.

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As reported by Exceltur, Spain had a great summer for tourism, with higher profits than before the pandemic. However, Exceltur also warns that inflation has decreased its margins and could slow down tourism for the rest of the year.

"We ended a great summer of 2022 in terms of revenues - but not margins and business results - in most Spanish destinations, surpassing those of 2019", the year before the covid-19 pandemic, Exceltur said in a statement.

As a result of the industry's revival, the tourist sector represented 72.2% of Spanish GDP growth during the third trimester, as reported by the tourism association.

This finding backs up figures from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) from a week ago, which indicated a dramatic increase in the influx of international visitors to Spain last summer, to 17.9 million—the highest amount since the pandemic (20 million).

The popular Balearic Islands (+10.1% compared to 2019) and the Canary Islands (+8.7%) as well as inland locations like La Rioja, in the North (+9.2%), or Castilla y León, near Madrid (+5%), were the ones that felt the recovery the most in a country that was the second tourist destination in the world before the health crisis.

However, Exceltur noted that "the balance of tourism business outcomes for the summer of 2022 was once again impacted by the sharp rise in costs" due to rising inflation.

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The frenzy for travel that has unleashed across Europe has caused a blazing spike in tourist frequency in Spain.

The first five months of 2022 saw a seven-fold increase in visitors to Spain compared to the same period in 2021, according to data from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism.

"The high number of reservations confirms our country's popularity as a tourist destination around the world and looks well for the peak season", Spanish Minister of Tourism Reyes Maroto said on Monday.

"After two long years, we are going to live a summer like the ones before", sentenced Fernando Valdés, Secretary of State for tourist affairs.

According to Exceltur, an association of companies in the sector, the months of July and August this year could be "similar" to 2019, a record year for tourist attendance in Spain.

"European and national demand is very high" and will benefit the "sector as a whole", said the vice president, José Luis Zoreda.

Professionals, especially along the seaside, have this opinion. "Everything predicts that it will be one of the best summers in history", celebrated Diego Salinas, head of the Association of Bars, Restaurants, and Cafeterias (ABRECA) in Benidorm, a famous tourist resort on the Costa Blanca, in the east of the country.

This anticipated reactivation is good news for the tourism industry, which provided jobs for 13% of Spain's workforce and generated 12.5% of the country's GDP prior to the pandemic. However, finding workers, particularly along the coast and in major towns, remains challenging.

Tourism-related GDP is expected to reach 151.8 billion euros this year, an increase of 10 billion euros over the previous forecast, based on Exceltur's projections.

This figure is slightly lower than in 2019 (€155 billion), but much higher than in 2020 (€52 billion) and 2021 (€88 billion).

The destinations that should benefit most from this recovery are those on the Andalusian coast (+7.4% compared to 2019), the Canary Islands (+3.5%), and the Balearic Islands (+3.6%).

The number of golf holidays in Spain has also grown along with other types of tourism when compared with the last 2 years.