Marbella confirmed as European capital of golf tourism
17 May, 2023Marbella (Malaga) continues to be the epicentre of European golf tourism. This is seen in its choice by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) as the destination to celebrate its first convention in Europe. The tourist-sports event has been held at the Adolfo Suárez Conference Centre, with the presence of 650 attendees and over 8,300 work meetings among professionals.
Ángeles Muñoz, mayoress of Marbella, has highlighted the weight of the IAGTO (made up of 2,500 golf tour operators), noting that they are proud to have “the best ambassadors of such an important sector and so closely linked to Marbella”. In turn, the CEO of IAGTO, Peter Walton, has highlighted the increase in golf tourism after the pandemic with 20% more reservations than in 2019.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía, Víctor González, stated that this event demonstrates “the muscle and strength which both the province and Andalusia have in the rest of the world”. In this tourist segment, visitors stay 12 days and spend far more than a tourist on holidays i.e. over 150 euros a day.