The Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies commenced on Wednesday at the Madinaty and Katameya Dunes golf courses in Egypt, and will run until Saturday. The event, described as the first and largest Arab golf event of its kind, is also serving as a platform to highlight Egypt's ambitious vision to significantly increase its tourism revenues through golf tourism. Omar Hisham Talaat Moustafa, President of the Egyptian Golf Federation, speaking as a guest on the "Mal'ab ON" programme with journalist Ibrahim Abdel Gawad, stated that the championship's activities would extend beyond sporting competitions. He explained that the event aims to offer unique experiences for families, featuring exciting shows and a golf festival held on the sidelines. An open invitation was extended to Egyptian families to participate and learn more about the sport. Discussing the golf industry from an investment perspective, Moustafa noted that many countries have successfully leveraged the sport to attract tourists and generate substantial income. He pointed out that Egypt received approximately 15 million tourists last year, with a strategic plan in place to double this figure to 30 million. Moustafa suggested that golf tourism could be a significant component of this plan. He drew comparisons, emphasising that Costa del Sol in Spain boasts over 70 courses, attracting around 1.2 million golf tourists annually. Similarly, the Turkish city of Belek, with 15 courses, welcomes 140,000 golf tourists each year. Moustafa explained that Egypt currently has 25 existing golf courses, which are visited by only 30,000 tourists annually. He stated that these courses have the capacity to host 50,000 rounds of golf per year, yet currently, no more than 10,000 rounds are played annually. He added that Egypt has the potential to attract a specific segment of tourists interested in playing the sport, noting that there is already high demand for such activities. He asserted that Egypt is well-positioned to implement this vision. "The average duration of a golf tourist's trip is five days, with only two days dedicated to playing, while the remaining time is spent visiting tourist, heritage, and entertainment attractions," Moustafa said. "With a simple calculation, hosting an additional 40,000 golf rounds could attract 16,000 tourists per course in Egypt, totalling 400,000 new tourists." Moustafa further elaborated on the economic benefits: "Studies indicate that the spending level of a golf tourist is four times higher than that of an average tourist. This means that while the average spending of 15 million traditional tourists is approximately $15 billion, at an average of $1,000 per tourist, a golf tourist spends $4,000. If 400,000 tourists visit the country annually, this could generate $1.6 billion." He recalled Egypt's successful hosting of an "Asian Tour" international championship three years ago, which was broadcast in over 45 countries. "This is the model Egypt can implement to attract golf enthusiasts, especially since Egypt possesses competitive advantages over the cities previously mentioned," Moustafa stated. "Tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy unique Egyptian coastal destinations, as well as tourist, archaeological, and heritage sites." Mohamed Anwar, Vice President of the Egyptian Golf Federation, sought to dispel common misconceptions about the sport. "Golf is not a sport for the wealthy or elderly as some imagine," Anwar affirmed. "The age range of golfers is varied, and it is a game played by children, youth, adults, and women. The stereotype some hold about this sport has changed globally, where the sport was viewed narrowly until the 1990s. That perception has completely changed in the world and must change in Egypt too. Incidentally, most players in Egypt belong to middle-class families, not the wealthy class as some believe." Adding to the discussion, Egyptian international golfer Captain Amr Abou El Ela noted the growing trend of this type of tourism in the Arab region. "Dubai has become a major destination for golfers, and Agadir in Morocco and Port El Kantaoui in Sousse, Tunisia, have become among the most important destinations for players in the Arab region," Abou El Ela said. "Egypt has a great opportunity to benefit from its tourism assets to attract this type of tourism."
