Scottish Hydro Challenge is putting Aviemore on the map
Golf tourism in the Highlands is benefitting from another boost with the four day Scottish Hydro Challenge teeing off today in Aviemore.
Being played for the ninth straight year at Spey Valley, the Scottish Hydro Challenge is one of the most high profile events on the European Tour’s Challenge Tour Series.
It has produced some of the most notable winners on the circuit including European Tour star Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnstone and the current US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
A whole host of up and coming stars, including Scotland’s Grant Forrest and Ewen Ferguson, will take to the fairways helping to shine a light on the region as a growing golf tourism destination.
A recent study commissioned by VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise revealed that golf tourism is worth in excess of £23 million annually to the Highlands’ economy, directly supporting 643 jobs.
The region has enjoyed an enhanced profile in recent years thanks to the development of new courses, such as Spey Valley and Castle Stuart, and the staging of major events such as the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open which has been held at Castle Stuart four times in the last six years.
Combined with the reputation of world-renowned courses such as Royal Dornoch and Nairn, the Highlands is now firmly established as a popular golf tourism destination in Scotland, the Home of Golf.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: "We are delighted to once again support the Scottish Hydro Challenge through our EventScotland team and to see it return to Aviemore for the ninth consecutive year.
"Events such as this and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart last year help to keep the Highlands firmly on the golf tourism map.
"For every £1 spent by a golfing visitor on green fees, £5 is spent elsewhere across the visitor economy in shops, restaurants and bars which highlights the importance of golf tourism to regional economies."
The study into the Value of Golf Tourism to Scotland’s Economy was conducted by Progressive Partnership and SQW.
More details, including regional breakdowns, can be found by visiting: http://www.visitscotland.org/research_and_statistics/tourism_sectors/golf.aspx
