Portuguese golf goes norte

This month, Instituto de Turismo de Portugal (ITP) - the public body responsible for promoting Portugal’s tourism industry - announced that €50 million (£32 million) of public and private funds will be invested into the country’s golf industry with the aim that there are 21 per cent more courses throughout Portugal by 2010.  Portuguese golf already boasts a world-beating reputation, especially in the Algarve region in the south of the country which has been voted Best Established Golf Destination by the Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) for the last two years on the trot.  Now, high quality courses are also springing up in the north, presenting canny investors with an opportunity to benefit from the Costa Verde’s cheaper property prices, cultural riches and rising visitor numbers.

Well, the Portuguese Government certainly thinks so.  This month Economy Minister Manuel Pinho announced the Government’s aim to make Portugal the best European golf destination by 2009.  He also indicated in comments to the Expresso newspaper that Portuguese tourism authorities have invested €6m for golf events scheduled over the next few years.  The highlight of these will be a new tournament, the Portugal Masters, offering prize money of over €3m which is certain to attract the world’s top players.  At the launch of the Portuguese Masters event, the ITP announced that €50 million (£32 million) of public and private funds will be invested into the country’s golf industry with the aim that there are 21 per cent more courses throughout Portugal by 2010.

Portugal is already one of the most highly regarded golfing destinations in the world.  The main golfing region is the Algarve which currently houses over 30 of the country’s 70 plus golf courses.  This golfing mecca hosted the World Championships for the first time in 2005 and has been voted Best Established Golf Destination by IAGTO for the last two years in a row.  ITP also points out that Portugal as a whole was named best golf destination for 2006 by popular British magazine Today’s Golfer.

Chris Davidson, Product Manager for E-Quity.com, commented: “Portugal has for many years attracted non-nationals buying second homes for usage and investment.  The Algarve in particular has been popular with the international golfing community for the last 10-20 years because of its climate and the superb quality of Portugal’s golf courses.  The ripple effect of this is now being felt around the rest of country with golf being developed and promoted internationally as a key tool in the Portuguese Government's campaign to boost tourist numbers.”

Golf is a fast growing sport in Europe.  In 2000, there were 3.3m registered European golfers, 43% of whom were British or Irish, according to the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA).  On the continent, the “Big Four” currently are Sweden, Germany, France and Spain who collectively house 68% of all golfers there.  Interestingly, golf is growing faster on the continent than in the UK and Ireland both in terms of the development of golf courses and the increase in golfers.  By 2010 EIGCA predicts that there will be more golfers on the continent than in the UK and Ireland.  According to the European Golf Association, there were 15,791 golfers in Portugal at the beginning of 2006.

All this points to an increased demand for golf in Portugal - and it’s not just the locals who are getting in on the action.  Since the rise of the low budget airlines in the late 1990s, golf tourism is really taking off with tailor-made developments springing up to cater for the influx of northern golfers seeking out courses with better weather conditions and cheaper prices.  Portugal comes second only to Spain in this growing European market and last year welcomed 300,000 golfing tourists.

Most golf courses in Portugal are located in the south of the country, mainly in the Algarve but there are also around 20 courses near Lisbon.  So why look to the north of Portugal for your fairway, you may be asking?

For starters, it’s easy to get to.  Low-cost carriers are all increasing the number and frequency of flights to Oporto’s Francisco Sa Carneiro airport, and in 2005 Ryanair started direct flights there from Liverpool and Dublin.  The result has been a huge rise in visitor numbers to the “Norte” (“norte” means north in Portuguese) region as people look to explore wider Portugal and look beyond the highly developed Algarve.

Indeed, there is much to see here.  Oporto is Portugal’s second city and home to the famous Port wine.  Both Oporto’s historic Centre and the adjacent Douro Valley are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites and the city offers a Gateway to the stunning surrounding Costa Verde region.  Literally meaning “Green Coast”, Costa Verde is lush and verdant in contrast to the arid Algarve.  The area covers the districts of the Minho and most of the Douro Litoral, stretching northwards along the Atlantic Coast from Oporto to the Spanish border.  The Costa Verde boasts a rich cultural heritage, great beaches and mouth-watering local cuisine.

Pedro Sottomayor, Director of Pisão Valley Nature Resort, commented: “Tourism and golf have always gone hand in hand in Portugal, playing a central role in our country’s economic development.  To date, the Algarve has been the preferred destination for tourists looking to play golf.  But now these golfers are starting look further north for their courses, to the region of Lisbon and increasingly also to the regions of the Douro and Oporto.  This is because the north of Portugal offers a more complete tourist experience - not only sun, beach and golf but also vibrant culture, mouth-watering cuisine and a rich historical heritage.”

Sottomayor continued: “For the investor, there are also solid reasons to go north.  These regions are still developing and currently have much more attractive prices than their Southern counterparts.  There is much stronger potential for growth in property prices in the north than in the rest of the country.”

One of the golf developments currently under construction in the “Norte” region is Pisão Valley Nature Resort just outside Oporto.  Occupying a 100 hectare site surrounded by a tranquil wooded hills, Vale Pisão represents a vast  “nature resort” development project centred around a 9 hole golf course and 50 hectare park.  Leisure facilities include a practice range and golf academy, a health club, swimming pools, a tennis club and football pitches.  There will also be a 4 star hotel.

In addition to the tourist market, Vale Pisão is also looking to attract residents from Oporto.  There will be primary and secondary schools on site as well as a commercial zone including a supermarket, laundry, bakery, newsagent, hairdresser, residential maintenance services and 24 hour security.

For the serious golfer, there are five other courses around Oporto to choose from, including a 6 hole course (Quinta do Fojo), another 9 hole course (Miramar) and three other 18 hole courses (Estela, Amarante and Oporto Golf Club); Oporto Golf Club is the second oldest course in Continental Europe, established in 1890 by British residents of Oporto.  Pisão Valley will eventually be expanded to an 18-hole course.

Sottomayor commented: “The Pisao Valley nature resort is at the forefront of golf development in the north of Portugal and the project is the first of its kind in the metropolitan area of Oporto.  This excellent location offers a perfect base from which to explore the north of the country and in particular the stunning Minho and Douro regions.  Residents at Pisao Valley get to enjoy the best of both worlds – all the beauty and tranquillity of the Costa Verde countryside at the same time as benefiting from all the culture, entertainment and services of Portugal’s second city.”

By investing in Vale Pisão at this stage, you can benefit from national promotional activity around golf as well as the current growth in tourist volumes and property prices to the north of the country; property prices in the Costa Verde region are currently much cheaper than Algarve prices.

For more information about Pisão Valley Nature Resort, please visit www.valepisao.com.  Enquiries should be made to +35 122 969 2122/+35 122 969 8737 or by emailing comercial@valepisao.com