The Importance Of Golf In Extending Our Tourist Seasons

GUEST WRITER FOR THE COLLECTION, P.J. MCLLROY

Golf, similarly to winter sports, is famous for being a challenging endeavour. The size needed to build a golf course, the type of land, the irrigation, the drainage systems… and even the Real Estate and Hotel Facilities.

But why should Governments in developing nations bet on Golf?

Montenegro is perhaps the prime example: a destination with 270 days of sunshine a year, stunning sceneries and a burgeoning tourism offer that targets UHNWI and travellers worldwide.

Looking at examples of destinations, developing and already developed, we realise that countries such as Spain, Turkey, the Middle East or even the USA have built up a number of golf courses which allow for players to enjoy diversity in the same setting. Turkey, with a masterplan for golf development which includes almost 120 viable locations for golf courses, with about 20 already completed. Spain and its famous coastal regions and diverse landscapes is host to over 400 golf courses. The Middle East has made it a point to develop courses in seemingly impossible areas, which make for some of the most unique golf tourism destinations and host to today many worldwide professional and commercial events.

When speaking about the development of golf in Montenegro, as part of a governmental plan to develop the country as an exclusive destination, golf was taken in consideration as a ‘shortcut’ to cut the seasonality of the destination, and to allow for people to enjoy the beautiful landscape during almost the whole year.

Since the renewal of independence, Montenegro has moved forward in terms of its offering and infrastructure. Plenty of new 5-star hotels pepper the coast, flights from the European capitals fill the local airports of Podgorica and Tivat, a new motorway being built which connects the south and the north, and other capital investments which placed Montenegro to become one of the new prime destinations worldwide. But golf is what has been truly missing.

We mentioned seasonality. Why does this word keep on coming back?

With the beginning of construction of the first championship golf course on Lustica Bay, an Orascom Development Holding project on the peninsula of Lustica within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Bay of Kotor, it seems to be the one which will break the walls for golf tourists to begin enjoying their golfing in Montenegro.

Golf is a sport which can be played in pretty much any weather condition, thunderstorms permitting. And Montenegro with its 270 sunny days seems to be missing just that: an offer of an activity played by millions of people worldwide, which stimulates development of new areas, investments, and in the final economic growth. Let’s take some numbers in consideration: over the pandemic the participation numbers for golf have grown by 73% in Europe alone according to the EGA (European Golf Association) report. Such numbers, if even if seemingly in a period of general stagnation through lockdowns and travel restrictions, show how passion drives golfers to play even when everything else seems impossible.

Having all of this in mind, as well as the breadth of offer that golf offers within its facilities, golf seems the way to go when it comes to attracting clients during off season times. In our last edition we mentioned what golf brings to the table, and how it affects a destination. Now, as we concentrate more on the general effects on their surrounding area, we can keep our home country Montenegro as a fantastic example:

• 270 sunny days a year;

• Unique sites and locations;

• A gastronomical culture which mixes Mediterranean cuisines but with a unique taste;

• Investment opportunities in a developing destination, member of NATO and future EU member;

Having said this, there are difficulties, as for all large scale investments. First, one course often is not enough, but it is more than so to motivate other investors.

Golf tourists take the opportunity to visit a country through their tee times. The opportunity to go to a different area of Montenegro, which has such a diverse nature, would allow a visitor to explore other areas which during a summer stay perhaps they would not. It would allow them to visit the different cultural and culinary aspects of our beautiful country, all before, during or after an 18-hole round with family and friends. During their visits and tours of new nations and destinations, golfers enjoy nature, wellbeing, sports as well as relaxation, which makes a mountainous country perched on the Adriatic Sea, with its unique sites a perfect place to enjoy an offseason getaway. Distanced not more than a couple of hours from all European Capitals, and small enough to visit in a couple of days, Montenegro begs for more golf.

With the mentioned Lustica Bay golf course coming up, and other interested investors already lining up for locations and opportunities in this growing industry, and considering the general feeling towards this sport in the Balkan region which keeps on growing in every country, Montenegro promises a bright, and playable, future to all golf travellers.

Black Lake, Durmitor

But why so much confidence in the Montenegro success story with golf?

Montenegro, through its visionary approach to tourism after the renewal of its independence, has pinpointed through a golf masterplan about 12 possible locations for golf facilities. Keeping in line with both the needs of local players for the sport to grow as well as the needs of the tourism industry, locations were selected throughout the country and all its regions to make them easy to connect and never further than at most a 2 hour drive. With the capital investments that have been realized in the last 17 years, such as better road infrastructure, better air travel connectivity, and finally more offers when it comes to accommodation and stay, Montenegro is truly ready to host more golf courses in its landscapes.

Montenegro has continuously proven itself through the years to be a favourite amongst European travellers and Real Estate investors. With low taxes, a favourable investment environment and an ambitious development plan, Montenegro has attracted in the past years many investors, both in large scale projects, as well as people simply interested in a small getaway somewhere where they feel at home. The proof of that are results of sales and FDIs that have been growing consistently for the past decade and have been a great marketing exercise for the country.

Skadar Lake

And again, why so much confidence: well, experience.

Many countries have based their investment strategies on golf. As mentioned before, Turkey and Spain are great examples. But even the United States: in the nation with most golf structures in the world, the Retirement Systems of Alabama (not the premiere tourism destination in the United States) has invested in the now famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: a risky investment that began in the 80s and has revealed to be one of the main movers of Alabama tourism in the past 25 years, boosting this industry from less than 3 billion a year, to over 14 billion dollars a year. In addition to that, this behemoth project of 468 holes has said to have motivated the arrival of unrelated investors as well thanks to the image this golf trail and its investment has created for that State.

Montenegro has made it a mission to bring golf investments within its borders, and the first is on its way. For the betterment of its tourism offer, for the prolongation of its season to be a destination ‘golfable’ 365 days a year open to everyone.

Boka Bay

In the years past, the summer season would start filling the country with visitors from Labour Day and it would last through to September. This is already a step forward from the past, as the aforementioned developments have significantly boosted the coastal economy and have maximized the number of visitors through the summer season. But for a country with potential like Montenegro it is difficult to say that that is enough.

An investment cycle in the north, which began with the introduction of the Citizenship by Investment Program, is now pushing the less developed area of Montenegro, and it opens the doors to more projects and developments. If it is taken in consideration that the Lustica Bay golf course, on the edge of the Bay of Kotor, is coming, it is truly time for Montenegro to grab the opportunities golf gives and use them to its advantage to offer all its visitors and its clients an absolutely complete tourism destination, that covers all bases and allows the entire local population, as well as investors, tourists and Montenegrin residents to reap the benefits and enjoy the opportunities that come with this industry and sport.

The humble writer of this column is a golfer… not a great one… but he still finds himself searching for golf courses wherever he travels and is very disappointed when the opportunity for a nerve wracking 18 holes and a beer on the 19th is not there. Fortunately, golf is still a growing industry and the need for courses to host the 66.6 million players worldwide is higher than ever, specially where this is a new endeavour, like here in Montenegro.