Portugal has been distinguished as the “Best Golf Destination in the World” at the 10th edition of the World Golf Awards, held in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi. This reaffirmed, for the second consecutive year, our country as the “Best Golf Destination in Europe,” thereby consolidating the excellence of golf tourism at the national level. This dual distinction had already been achieved between 2014 and 2018.
The success of Portugal as a golf destination can be attributed to the provision of an integrated tourist experience, good air and land accessibility, exceptional hospitality, high-quality sports and hotel infrastructure catering to different profiles of players, whether professional or amateur, and an excellent quality/price ratio. Portugal currently has 89 golf courses spread across the seven tourism regions, with a particular focus on the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto, and the North. As a internationally recognized and consolidated tourist product, demand in the first half of 2023 reached record levels, surpassing those recorded in the same period in 2019 (one of Portugal’s best tourism years) and 2022. The average number of rounds played by foreign players saw gains of over 13% compared to 2019 and 14% compared to 2022.
Golf, traditionally associated with tourists with high purchasing power, contributes to the increase in tourist revenues and the expansion of tourist activity throughout the year and across the entire territory, aligning with the objectives of the Tourism 20-27 Strategy.
Mindful of environmental issues and committed to sustainability, the golf sector in Portugal is adopting responsible practices to preserve the distinctive assets that characterize the country as a destination. In this regard, strategies are underway to increase water efficiency, improve waste and energy management, as well as reduce plastic usage on golf courses. This set of actions and initiatives, undertaken in collaboration with the Portuguese Golf Federation and the National Golf Industry Council, has solidified the golf industry as a significant partner in implementing the sustainability strategy of Tourism in Portugal.
The World Golf Awards are voted on by golf industry professionals from over 100 countries and are part of the World Travel Awards.
Source: Turismo de Portugal
