As the Portugal Masters approaches its tenth birthday at the Oceânico Victoria Golf Course from October 20-23, the event naturally makes an impression on the lives – and heart rates – of the fans witnessing the action, as well as the wider economic impact that extends beyond the fairways.
In 2007, the Portugal Masters became a reality, the inaugural top-class professional golf tournament in the Algarve taking place courtesy of the ambition of the Portuguese Golf Federation, the Tourism Board and the European Tour, building from its beginning as a follow-on from the World Cup of Golf into an event bringing in valuable revenue for the local economy.
Ten years on, more than 290,000 golf fans have visited the iconic Algarve region, with spectators from the UK and Ireland accounting for 24 per cent of the total economic impact and 42 per cent of the spectator expenditure in 2015.
As Englishman Andy Sullivan won his third European Tour Title by a record-breaking nine-shot margin, a potential global household reach of 205,588,200 viewers were able to tune into the event, with the total global broadcast hours of 2,418 minutes allowing local businesses and tourism to profit from the international exposure.
Peter Adams, Championship Director of the Portugal Masters, said: “The Portugal Masters is an event largely supported by The Tourism Board since its inception in 2007, so for us at the European Tour the economic value it brings to Portugal, and the local communities in the Algarve, is a critical element in determining the success of the event.
“In the data collected over the last nine years, it has given us the ability to understand where we sit within the sports market landscape in Portugal, and recognise how we can use this information in a commercial sense to continue the growth of the event.
“The lasting economic benefits from this European Tour event may ultimately come from new infrastructure, facility development and land regeneration over the course of the last ten years, but the appeal of a regular Tour fixture to foreign tourists and locals alike can have a more immediate effect.”
The European Tour commissioned Sports Marketing Surveys to produce an Economic Impact Report of the 2011 Portugal Masters, the results stating the overall economic impact of the event assessed at €6,707,702, with exponential growth expected as the profile of the tournament gained further traction in mainstream media and through broadcast dealings.
According to Repucom’s media data, over the past four years the Portugal Masters’ global media equivalency by television exposure brings an annual average of $67,489,989 worth of commercial value for event sponsors. This is achieved through the global television broadcast via an average of 39 different broadcasters with an average of 1,983 hours of coverage for each edition of the event.
The most significant single gain in commercial exposure was in 2013, with US$ 23,176,643 in value measured when England’s David Lynn came from six shots behind to snatch victory with an inspired final round of 63 at the Oceânico Victoria Golf Course.
Along with the economic benefits, it is an event that supports and gives back to local and indeed international charities. In the previous four years, the Portugal Masters has worked in conjunction with an Official Charity to raise an annual average total of €22,100, including the SIC Esperança charity, Make-A-Wish, ACCA Kids, Refugio Aboim Ascensão and APPACDM.
European Tour www.europeantour.com