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Puerto Rico DMO: Golf increasingly drawing visitors

By on June 19, 2019

The courses at TPC Dorado Beach (pictured), Rio Mar Golf & Beach Resort, The St. Regis Bahia Beach, Coco Beach, Palmas Athletic Club, Royal Isabela, and Costa Caribe are just a few of the island's 17 golf venues. Like Puerto Rico's robust tourism trends in key performance indicators, golf is increasingly drawing Island visitors, thanks in part to strategic leadership from the newly established Destination Marketing Organization, Discover Puerto Rico, the Island's first-ever DMO.
The golf course at TPC Dorado Beach (Courtesy)

Island sees 1.5 million passenger arrivals in first 4 months of 2019

SAN JUAN — Discover Puerto Rico, the destination marketing organization (DMO), announced that the island’s golf courses and resorts report “substantial growth in rounds and revenue” during the first four months of 2019, a trend that mirrors tourism’s ascension, the organization said Wednesday.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Golf & Beach Resort’s country club – which includes two Troon-managed courses – reports a 128% revenue increase January-May, with rounds played rising 56% for the period.

TPC Dorado Beach Director of Golf Jeff Willenberg describes his club’s financial performance as exceptional.

“Club membership has grown at an incredible pace this year, and golf rounds are doing extremely well,” said Willenberg, who oversees a 36-hole golf operation with membership and public play.

The increases align with Discover Puerto Rico tourism statistics. They include January-April occupancy spending reaching $373.6 million, the highest in the past eight years, and an increase of 12.4%. The island’s rapid lodging spend growth was driven by a rise in bookings of vacation rental properties, accounting for 23% of the jump. This is underscored by strong passenger arrivals, reaching 1.5 million for the January-April timeframe.

There are 17 public-access golf courses in Puerto Rico, which is 100 miles long by 35 miles wide, or slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island. They range from luxury resort to municipal, spread across all four sides of the island.

Besides TPC Dorado Beach, they include renowned courses at Rio Mar Golf & Beach Resort, the St. Regis Bahia Beach, Coco Beach, Palmas Athletic Club, Royal Isabela and Costa Caribe.

“Ocean front views, omnipresent palm trees, and mountain and rainforest vistas define their settings. Price points, terrain, layout style, and related amenities are varied and complementary,” the DMO said in its release.

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