Costa Brava Regions Receives Legacy Benefits after 2014 Open de España

August 11, 2014

The Costa Brava region in north-eastern Catalonia believes The 2014 Open de España has provided a positive legacy.

According to a recent report by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, asthma Energy and Tourism, medic there was a 2.4% increase in foreign visitors to Catalonia in June compared with the same month in 2013, drugs which set a new tourism record for the first half of the year, with 7.1 million foreign tourists to the region. 

The European Tour event, which was held near Girona at World Top 100 venue, PGA Catalunya Resort, and won by Spanish golfing icon, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, attracted over 39,000 visitors during tournament week, and injected an estimated 1.8 million Euros into the area.

With a potential combined household reach of almost half a billion viewers from around the world, according to The European Tour’s tournament valuation report, this year’s Open de España has also achieved a cumulative global media value of over $16 million – more than double what was secured for the 2013 event.

Ramón Ramos, Director of Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board, said he was pleased The 2014 Open de España had been such a major triumph, offering outstanding golf and achieving thousands of hours of global media coverage for Spain’s best golf course.

“An important goal for us has been to ensure that the four-day event was not a one-off success story, but a platform to provide support to local tourism businesses, elevate PGA Catalunya Resort’s status as a great golfing venue and boost the area’s reputation as an important European golf destination,” he said.

For over a decade, Golf Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona’s Golf Marketing Club, which consists of golf clubs and resorts, hotels, restaurants and numerous tourist attractions, as well as the tourism board itself, have all been working together to promote the region as a must-visit, European hot-spot.

“Since Costa Brava was voted the IAGTO Emerging Golf Destination of the Year in 2000, we have aimed our strategic plans and marketing campaigns at increasing awareness of the fantastic courses and facilities available in our region,” he added. “The interest has since been phenomenal, and hosting The 2014 Open de España has been the icing on the cake.

“Costa Brava is a perfect destination for golfers of all levels – right on Barcelona’s doorstep – with great courses, experiences, and value that cannot be met by any other golf destination. Plus there is a wealth of historical, cultural, sporting and leisure attractions for family members not so eager to spend all their time on the greens.”