MEMPHIS REISEN

Egypt will host 13 international golf tournaments over the next four months, a move projected to significantly increase tourism revenues, Egyptian Golf Federation President Omar Hisham Talaat said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference at Madinaty Golf Club, Omar Hisham Talaat stated that a single golf tournament contributes 10,000 hotel nights. With the scheduled 13 events, he expects this figure to double notably during the coming period.

The federation has successfully converted its financial deficit into a surplus within a seven-month period, according to Talaat. He outlined plans to double revenues by diversifying income sources through partnerships with private sector companies interested in sponsoring global tournaments.

Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy told the conference that hosting sports tournaments has generated approximately 2m tourist nights since 2019. He noted that these events impact the economy directly through sponsorship rights, advertisements, and partnerships, and indirectly through visa fees, hotel stays, transport, and participant spending.

Omar Hisham Talaat highlighted the influence of golf on the real estate sector, which represents a significant portion of gross domestic product. He noted that Egyptian real estate developers are establishing world-class golf courses. Leveraging this infrastructure and Egypt’s history in the sport aims to expand the game’s participation base while ensuring financial sustainability for existing clubs and courses.

Sobhy said he expects the federation to establish a company dedicated to the development of the sport and the management of professional tournaments. This strategy includes expanding golf to youth centres across various governorates using small-scale course models funded through corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The minister added that he anticipates the launch of an Egyptian golf television channel as the sport expands and demand for sponsorships increases.