Mallorca is aiming to continue its emergence as a leading European golf destination with a concerted PR drive in 2016.
All eyes of the golf tourism world will be on the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands as it plays host to the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) – the world’s premier event of its kind in the industry – in November (14-17).
The IGTM – held at Son Termens near Palma – represents an ideal platform to showcase Mallorca as more than 600 golf tourism suppliers join 350 pre-qualified buyers and 100 international press representatives who will fly in from around the globe.
With 19 courses forming part of the Asociación de Campos de Golf de Mallorca (ACGM) – the Golf Course Association of Mallorca – they are all within easy reach.
Just 45 minutes is the longest drive you would expect to make between the two furthermost clubs on the island.
The short flight times and popular routes from all over Europe also adds to the easy access and it’s obvious why it has been branded as Mallorca Golf Island. When you arrive, sunshine, a pleasant climate, quality accommodation and some fantastic golf courses are waiting to be enjoyed.
Last year, tourists played 600,000 rounds of golf on the island and for 2016, the target is to add another 30,000 to that total with the association keen to spread the message about the many golfing attractions on offer.
Son Vida is the oldest club on Mallorca, dating back to 1964 and there has been steady growth in the number of courses since then. But eight new quality additions have been added since the millennium to increase the choice for golfers.
The island’s golf history stretches back much further to 1934 when a nine-hole course in Alcudia was established before it was shut down during the Spanish civil war with the fairways used for aircraft.
Both Alcanada and Son Gual are now considered to be among the top courses on the continent but all of the associated 19 courses present their own reasons to visit Mallorca for the golf on offer.
The popular holiday island, which saw 13.1 million passengers pass through Palma Airport in 2014, enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year with average temperatures rising to 25˚C (76˚F) in August, it is the perfect climate for visiting golfers.
Mallorca is also blessed with a host of must-see cultural attractions, entertainment hotspots and wonderful beaches, making it one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.
Swiss-born Federico Knuchel, president of the ACGM, said: “I feel very passionate about golf on Mallorca.
“We had 600,000 rounds in 2015 and the purpose of our association is to increase that number.
“We would like to increase it by five per cent every year. Last year was one of the better years and generally, we are quite happy. But we always want more. “We think Mallorca offers real quality and value for golfers. We are hoping to show that to as many people as possible.”
Andrew Smith, director of product at Your Golf Travel, said: “Mallorca has long been heralded as one of Europe’s foremost golf destinations and it’s difficult to find fault in any aspect of the island’s golf offering.
“There is a great choice of golf courses all within close proximity of each other, fabulous year-round weather, frequent flights and so many other things for golfers to enjoy while visiting the island.
“It’s very encouraging to hear that the golf industry in Mallorca is focusing its efforts on promoting itself to golfers across Europe.”
