Castilla y León is the second community in terms of the number of golf courses, but it barely contributes 1.3% of the sector’s total turnover and 2.6% of direct employment.
The triple social, economic and environmental sustainability of the golf sector in Spain, and more particularly in Castile and León, was the protagonist of the presentation of the “PlaySpain.Golf” project by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Spanish Association of Golf courses. , the Golf Federation of Castilla y León and the Association of Golf Courses of Castilla y León. This is a project financed by Next Generation European funds granted by the Secretary of State for Tourism of the Spanish Government, as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
The second report on the economic impact of golf in Spain, carried out by IE University, revealed that golf has been an important economic and tourism driver, particularly important in Castile and León, where Total spending by golf tourists reaches 6.5 million euros. Castilla y León has seen how the growth of golf tourism and the digitalization of the sector have contributed to local economic development, reinforced by initiatives such as the PlaySpain.Golf digital platform. This integrator of tourist offers brings together the entire Spanish golf offer on a single website, facilitating access to courses in the region.
In 2022, golf tourism in Spain increased by 17%, and in Castile and León It is one of the regions that has benefited from this trend, positioning itself as a key destination since it is the second region with the highest number of courses, after Andalusia. The economic impact of golf in the country reached 15.937 million euros, and of this figure a large part went to complementary sectors such as hospitality and commerce, generating new employment and development opportunities economic for the region.
The study estimates that the turnover of the estates of Castilla y León represents 1.3% of the national total, with 2.6% in terms of direct employment, contributing over €11 million to the sector’s total turnover nationally.
The data in the report highlights that Castilla y León has an excellent opportunity to consolidate golf as a pillar of the complementary offer for economic and tourist growth. With an increase in the influx of golf tourists, a commitment to sustainability and the implementation of digital tools such as PlaySpain.Golf, The region can position itself as a reference in terms of golf offerings in Spain. Collaboration between public institutions and the private sector has been essential to promote this development, and with digitalization and the commitment to sustainable water use, Castilla y León is ready to continue taking advantage of the potential golf as a generator of wealth and employment. .
Water usage report
The results of the report prepared by the University of Cádiz on the use of water in golf courses were also presented at the event, demonstrating the sector’s commitment to sustainability, both at a national level than in Castile and León, where Effective water management is essential to golf course activity and its integration into the natural environment.
Mayte Martínez, Councilor for Citizen Participation and Sports of Valladolid City Hall, highlighted “the importance of sports tourism, which turns out to be one of the fastest growing areas, especially In the case of golf, it is much more than a sportattracting more and more people.
Javier Ínsula, vice president of the Spanish Association of Golf Courses, explained “the relevance of these objective data prepared by rigorous entities that open the door to institutions, which must be aware of the reality of golf and the needs of support of the sector.
For his part, José Ignacio Jiménez Herrero, president of the Golf Federation of Castilla y León, highlighted “the constant growth of federated members in the region, which is also the second Autonomous Community in terms of number of golf facilities, which represents an additional tourist attraction to the great offer of Castilla y León, something that we hope to enrich with the PlaySpain.Golf project”
Finally, Juan María López Álvarez, president of the Association of Golf Courses of Castilla y León, affirmed “the need for help and cooperation from the authorities and from all of us who can collaborate for the expansion of this sport in addition to tourism in the interior.
