Driving Economic Impact: The Power of Golf in Madrid

Driving Economic Impact: The Power of Golf in Madrid

EIEGOLF: Unveiling the Economic Impact of Golf in Madrid

The vision

A few months ago, Perfect Pixel, our creative agency and audiovisual production company, was entrusted with a significant project by La Asociación de Campos de la Comunidad de Madrid in collaboration with the Federación de Golf de Madrid, CEIM and Cámara de Comercio de Madrid. Our mission was to design the first-ever report detailing the economic impact of golf in the Spanish capital. This task presented an exciting opportunity to showcase our expertise in design and corporate identity development while contributing to a groundbreaking study.

Crafting the Storyline

We were particularly honored to have Javier Gervás and Gregorio González-Irún place their trust in us for this project. Our approach was to maintain the technical and economic orientation of the document, while infusing it with a modern and fresh aesthetic. This comprehensive assignment included the production of personalized merchandising and digital assets for the CEOE meeting, executive presentations, a brief summary video, printed and bound copies of the report… We ensured that all materials were of the highest quality and featured exclusive finishes, aligning with the prestige of this significant economic-sport impact study for the Community of Madrid.

Left (Pictures taken from the CEOE meeting presenting EIEGOLF report – Above (Cover of the official EIEGOLF report)

Behind the Scenes

The study, titled ‘Evaluación del Impacto Económico del golf en la Comunidad de Madrid (EIEGOLF),’ was presented on Monday, March 4. It highlighted the substantial influence of golf on tourism and the industry in Madrid. Some key findings included the fact that golf tourists spend 55% more than the average tourist, generating over 20 million euros annually. In the past year alone, over 11,000 foreign golf players visited Madrid’s courses. Despite accounting for just 1.1% of Spain’s total golf tourists, Madrid’s potential for growth is enormous due to the quality of its courses and its distinctive overall offerings, including business tourism. Golf ranks as the third most popular sport in the region, with 82,305 licenses.

The Outcome

The study revealed that golf directly contributes to the region’s wealth, generating 235 million euros and 1,800 jobs in Madrid. Compared to the agriculture sector, golf occupies a mere 0.007% of agricultural land but produces 3.4% more (101 million euros versus 97.6 million euros) and generates 53 times more employment per hectare. Golf courses in Madrid consume only 1.4% of the region’s annual water usage and absorb CO2 equivalent to 15 El Retiro parks.

Prepared by the non-profit Centro de Predicciones Económicas (Ceprede), the study involved the direct participation of most golf courses in the region, as well as other entities within the golf industry. The presentation of the study was attended by notable figures such as Álvaro Ballarín, Deputy Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Sports; Alejandro Halffter, Secretary General of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce; Miguel Garrido, Secretary General of CEIM; Ignacio Guerras, President of the Federación de Golf de Madrid; Javier Ínsula, President of the Asociación de Campos de Golf de Madrid; and Julián García Pérez, Deputy Director General of Ceprede. They all emphasized the importance of the golf industry in Madrid and its potential for growth in both golf tourism and business tourism.

Conclusion

Ignacio Guerras, President of the Federación de Golf de Madrid, stated, “We wanted to promote this study because, besides the social and integrative values that golf offers to all who practice it, we want to highlight its economic significance in our community and its tremendous growth potential in supporting the tourism industry, generating jobs, and improving the health of those who play it, as numerous studies have shown.”

Javier Ínsula, President of the Asociación de Campos de Golf de Madrid, added, “This is the first time an economic report has been conducted from within the golf industry, based on real data provided by the sector and prepared by a credible and rigorous organization. The results highlight golf’s contribution to the economy of the Community, its job creation, environmental benefits, and its potential as a golf tourism destination.”

CEIM also emphasized the significant role of the golf industry in promoting high-value-added tourism, a strategic objective for all.