Golf tourism is already experiencing strong growth in Turkey and revenues should hit €500 million by 2010. Turkey intends to take golf giant Spain on head-to-head with the Aegean province of Mugla as its secret weapon.
There were 359 federated golf courses in Spain at last count, around 60 of these concentrated along the Costa del Sol generating Málaga province alone €900 million in 2006.
Adam Godwin, Marketing Director for Dream Homes WorldWide which has been operating in Turkey for three years with offices in Bodrum said: 'With the number of golf courses rising exponentially the Bodrum area will become on a par with the Costa del Sol as a serious destination for UK and Ireland-based golfers who will pay considerably less than the average £65 for a round on the Costas'.
He describes the Bodrum area as a 'classic lifestyle investor's destination' where personal use is the key driver but with the added bonus of rentals and increased property values. 'Those who get in early in prime projects will enjoy significant price rises over the next five to ten years. We're already experiencing capital appreciation around 15% per annum largely thanks to recent infrastructural improvements,' he added.
Until now Turkey's golf has been concentrated in two regions – Istanbul, which has three and Mediterranean Belek with around a dozen. Experts say the southwestern province of Mugla is one to watch. It is a holiday hotspot taking around 70% of all tourist arrivals, has over 1,100km of coastline punctuated with chic marinas but until now very little golf.
At present 27 holes winding through pine forests and olive groves are under construction close to the village of Munculur and a further 36 holes are nearing completion at Vita Park near Bodrum but thanks to a joint venture between two large groups of companies, no less than 18 courses are now their way to help make turkey a leading golf destination.
