The Tourism and Sports Minister, Francisco Javier Fernández, presented yesterday in the town of San Roque (Cádiz) Andalusia Valderrama Masters tournament, a competition that places the destination in the elite of the European Circuit of golf and to be held in the next 19 To October 22, 2017 with the participation of one hundred and fifty professional players of the highest level.The competition, which has the support of Sergio Garcia and its foundation, will be played in the renovated golf course of the Real Club Valderrama and can reach, through the television of the European Tour, a potential audience of more than four hundred million Of households in five continents, with fifteen hours of live broadcasting in markets as important to the destination as the United Kingdom, France or the United States, among others.
Fernández said that the date “is very interesting for us”, as Andalucía Valderrama Masters closes the circuit on European soil, before it moves to China and Dubai, and will probably be the only tournament held in Spain in 2017. For that reason, he said that “to the sporting interest unites the tourist, by its effect destacionalizador, since it will take place just when the high season ends”.
Thus, the counselor said that this competition brings together “all the qualities as an appointment of enormous interest for the destination”, being a prestigious event, with a very high impact and an important economic return, so he announced a continuity agreement of the Tournament for the next five years, “with the aim of growing each season and positioning it as a benchmark in the circuit.”
He also explained that the support for this competition framed in the European circuit is part of the promotional strategy of the Ministry to show the “excellence of the Andalusian offer of golf courses” through the holding of major events in the international projection community , A line of action that considered priority “against the exhibition of the mark in foreign tournaments”.
For his part, the director of the Real Club de Golf de Valderrama, Javier Reviriego, said that the tournament Andalusia Valderrama Masters will have a direct economic impact on the destination of between four and five million euros, according to calculations of the European circuit itself, which Also estimate an advertising revenue of fifty million euros on average.
Fernández highlighted the community’s leadership in this segment and recalled that it was recently chosen as the ‘European Golf Destination of the Year’ by the International Association of Golf Operators (IAGTO). This recognition, he said, “makes the excellence more evident” of an offer that “adapts to all demands and places us as one of the most competitive destinations in the world.”
In this sense, he added that “in addition to the hundred fields with which Andalusia has the largest concentration of continental Europe,” we must add the many proposals and attractions parallel to the enjoyment of golf, the good work of professionals, companies and workers. This segment, which places our region in the world tourist elite, and an enviable climate that makes possible the practice of sport all year round. ”
The counselor said that this segment, which last year attracted Andalusia to four hundred and eighty thousand tourists, almost 5% more than the previous one, is an activity of special interest for the destination, for the high expenditure (one hundred thirty euros) and stay (More than eleven days days) of these visitors, well above the average. In addition, he said that it is a sector that generates investment and employment, with around four thousand four hundred direct jobs
Finally, Fernández emphasized that the great sports and tourism events “represent one of the areas of opportunity where greater public-private synergies can be established and Andalusia has all the incentives to develop this trend”, so he noted that this tournament of Valderrama represents “A paradigm” in the strategy of the Council of events capture.