Costa Brava, home of three of Europe’s Top 100 golf courses, will set the tone for the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) 2012 in the Algarve,Portugal, with an exclusive dinner at Quinta do Lago’s exquisite restaurant, Casa do Lago, on 11 November, 2012.
The award-winning golf destination on Spain’s north-east coast, close to Barcelona, will host over 90 of the industry’s leading individuals, including IAGTO’s Peter Walton, on the eve of this year’s IGTM.
The dinner, organised by Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board and supported by Catalan Tourist Board, will celebrate the unique and stylish features of Costa Brava’s ‘rugged coast’ – from its award-winning golf courses and luxury resorts to its famous Michelin-starred gastronomy and rich heritage.
On the night, guests will be treated to traditional Catalan delights, courtesy of the region’s leading chefs who will showcase Costa Brava’s wide variety of local produce, popular wines and Cava.
Commenting on the event, IAGTO’s Chief Executive, Peter Walton, said: “Costa Brava was the IAGTO ‘Emerging Golf Destination of the Year’ in 2000 and I am very keen to see how the region has developed its golf and travel industry since then.
“This is a remarkable part of Spain, with ten great golf courses, including the critically acclaimed PGA Catalunya Resort, which is leading the region’s drive to cement Costa Brava’s position as a first-class golf destination.”
Ramon Ramos, Director of Costa Brava Tourist Board, added: “We have looked to offer added value to each and every visitor. As the birthplace of Salvador Dalí, the region is steeped in culture and history, and offers beautiful and diverse landscapes, as well as a vast range of culinary delights.
“Over the years, we have used these features to promote the Costa Brava, its authenticity and its year-round appeal, attracting visitors in the peak summer months thanks to its beautiful coastline and seasonal festivals, but also throughout the winter months when the proximity of the Pyrenees is a major lure for snow-loving visitors and golfers.
“We hope this dinner will enable people to ‘reconnect’ with Northern Spain, and, in particular, with the Costa Brava, for memorable experiences, stylish breaks and, of course, great golf,” Ramon Ramos concluded.
World Top 100 course PGA Catalunya Resort, plus the 36-hole resort Empordà and the seaside course of Platja de Pals are among the 10 outstanding courses on the Costa Brava. Other popular courses in the region include Club de Golf Costa Brava, Club de Golf Peralada, Golf d’Aro, Golf Girona and Torremirona Golf Club, plus the delightful par-3 Pitch & Putt courses at Gualta and Papalus.
The region is also famous for its cuisine and boasts 18 Michelin stars, including the renowned El Celler de Can Roca (three Michelin stars), voted the world’s second best restaurant in 2011 and 2012.
As well as Barcelona and Girona-Costa Brava airports, a new high-speed rail link will open soon, connecting the region to Paris (5.5 hours) and the rest of Europe. Services to Girona and Figueres, the second city of the Costa Brava, and home to the Salvador Dalí Theatre Museum (which attracts 1.5 million visitors per year) were opened in 2011, with the extension to Barcelona under way.
Costa Bravawww.costabrava.org and www.golf.costabrava.org