- The celebration of the Ryder Cup would have an economic return of more than 1.3 billion euros
- The Spanish Government, the Provincial Councils of Barcelona and Girona, the Regional Council of La Selva, the City Council of Caldes de Malavella, the Spanish Golf Federation, the Catalan Golf Federation, and the golf courses of Catalonia have already given their support to the candidacy
- Josep Sánchez Llibre: “It would be unforgivable and seriously irresponsible on the part of the Government of Catalonia if the Ryder Cup was moved to Madrid”
- The ‘Save the Ryder!’ manifesto receives the support of the economic, social and sporting sectors
Representatives of the Catalan economic and business world have gathered to show their support for the Costa Brava-Barcelona candidacy for the 2031 Ryder Cup, the most prestigious golf competition in the world and one of the most popular sporting events. Several representatives of the sports, social and economic world have gathered at the headquarters of Foment del Treball to support the manifesto ‘Save the Ryder!’ because it is a project that represents a great opportunity for the province of Girona and for the whole territory of Catalonia. This is why the entities that promote it regret that the government of Catalonia does not firmly support the project. In this sense, the president of Foment del Treball, Josep Sánchez Llibre, has stated that “it would be unforgivable and seriously irresponsible on the part of the Government of Catalonia that the Ryder Cup was moved to Madrid, since the priority of the organizers is Catalonia”.
The president of the Catalan Golf Federation, Ramon Nogué, has stated that “we emphasize that holding the Ryder Cup in Catalonia would have a great positive effect on the economy, as it would attract visitors from around the world and it would bring more than 1.3 billion euros to the territory, as well as a thousand jobs”. In addition, Mr. Nogué pointed out that “we regret the misinformation on the issue of water, especially in such a complicated context: we call for respect and to stop the demonization of this sport” and added that “since 1999 when the first PGA Catalonia golf course was inaugurated, it has been irrigated with 100% recycled water”.
The president of the Union of Sports Federations of Catalonia (UFEC), Gerard Esteva, highlighted the weight of golf and sport in the Catalan economy as well as the cross-cutting relevance it has in fields such as education and tourism.
President Sánchez Llibre emphasized that “public-private collaboration has always been a success in Catalonia, it is part of our political culture, of our business culture”, adding that “the example of this formula for success was the 1992 Olympic Games, or more recently the America’s Cup sailing event”.
The president of the Council of Chambers of Commerce of Catalonia, Jaume Fàbrega, has stated that “it is an event that will have a very important economic impact on the whole territory of the counties of Girona, which is not only limited to the year of the event but also during the previous and subsequent years”. In addition, according to Fàbrega, the Ryder Cup “will represent an attraction for quality tourism, enhancing the seasonal tourism and improving sustainability”.
We must remember that the Spanish Government has already positioned itself in favour of the project, as well as the Provincial Councils of Barcelona and Girona, the Regional Council of La Selva and the City Council of Caldes de Malavella. In addition, all the Spanish Golf Federations and the golf courses of Catalonia have given their support to the candidacy. In case of not having the support of the Catalan government, the organization could propose Madrid as an alternative to the Catalan candidacy within the Spanish State, since there is no other place in Catalonia that could host the sporting competition.
Promotion of the territory worldwide
With data in hand, the celebration of the event at Camiral Golf & Wellness, formerly known as PGA Catalunya, will have a very important economic impact on the entire territory of Girona, which is not only limited to the year of the event but to previous and subsequent years, and will represent an attraction for quality tourism associated with this sport. The Girona tourism sector stresses that, according to the estimates of the organizers, that the Ryder Cup will generate more than 1,000 additional jobs during the year of its preparation and during the event 350 of which will become permanent . Moreover, it will attract more than 270,000 visitors and it will have an economic impact of more than 1.3 billion euros.
The money that will be invested by the administrations, will promote the destination of Barcelona, Girona and Costa Brava worldwide, with top level golf tournaments, promotional ceremonies in Ryder Cup tournaments prior to 2031 that will be held in New York and Ireland, as well as the promotion itself during the tournament that will also be viewed in 600 million homes around the world thanks to the live broadcast of the tournament for more than 2,500 hours in 180 countries around the world.
Sustainable golf courses
This event will be held at the facilities of Camiral Golf & Wellness, one of the pioneering golf destinations in Catalonia for its commitment to the territory and sustainability. For 10 years they have had an internal biologist in charge of the preservation of the resort and they have invested, so far, more than one million euros to make their courses the most sustainable, being irrigated with 100% recycled water and they have modernized the irrigation systems to reduce the consumption of this water by 35%.
Accordingly, the organizations of the tourism and business sector of the counties of Girona want to publicly express their support and claim the support of the Catalan government to complete the candidacy to host one of the most important and followed sporting competitions in the world that confronts a selection of players from Europe and the United States. They consider that it is a national project and, consequently, they ask the Catalan administration to also give its support to enable the realization of this event.
List of participants in the ‘Save the Ryder!’ support event
- Josep Mateu, President of RACC
- Mercè Conesa, general director of BCN Global
- Jaume Fàbrega, President of the Consell de Cambres de Comerç (Council of Chambers of Commerce)
- Ramon Nogué, President, Catalan Golf Federation
- David Marín, President of FemCat
- Miquel Gotanegra, vice-president of FOEG
- Joaquim de Miquel Sagnier, secretary of the Board of Governors of the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB)
- Carles Puig de Travy, Dean of the Col-legi d’Economistes de Catalunya (College of Economists of Catalonia)
- Magda Grau, Director of the UPM
- Eduard Torres, President of Turisme de Barcelona (Tourism of Barcelona)
- Santiago García-Nieto, president of Confecat
- David Galán, general director of Círculo Ecuestre
- Gerard Esteva, president of the UFEC
- Baldiri Ros, president of the Institut Agrícola Català de Sant Isidre
- Laura Toso, manager of Associació de Càmpings de Girona
- Albert Salvador, director of Institutional Relations of the Cercle d’Economia (Cercle d’Economia)
- Joan Blancafort, secretary general of Fecavem
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