Costa Blanca golf courses honoured for boosting local economy through sports tourism

Costa Blanca golf is set to receive recognition, with the region’s golf course association named among the winners of the 2026 UEPAL Awards.

The Association of Golf Courses of the Costa Blanca and Valencian Community will receive the Award for Promotion of the Local Economy at the eighth UEPAL Awards in Elda on Friday, September 18.

UEPAL Award recognises golf tourism’s contribution to the Costa Blanca economy

The honour recognises the association’s contribution to economic development through sports tourism, including its role in generating employment, attracting visitors and strengthening the region’s international profile.

Golf tourism has become particularly valuable because it can attract visitors outside the traditional summer holiday season.

Players travelling to the Costa Blanca for golf also generate business for hotels, restaurants, accommodation providers and other parts of the tourism industry, spreading the economic impact beyond the courses themselves.

The association represents 26 golf courses and works with more than 60 hotels and accommodation providers, as well as tourism businesses across the Valencian Community.

It has spent almost 35 years promoting the Costa Blanca in international golf markets and is regarded as a leading industry organisation in Spain and Europe.

Southern Costa Blanca courses give the UEPAL honour a strong local connection

The award has particular relevance for the southern Costa Blanca, where golf is popular with both international residents and visitors.

Association members in the south include La Finca, La Marquesa, Las Ramblas, Lo Romero, Campoamor, Villamartin and Vistabella, placing some of the area’s best-known golf courses within the organisation receiving the award.

Their presence has helped establish golf as an important part of the area’s wider tourism offering, particularly for visitors looking for activities outside the peak beach season.

The ability to attract golfers at different times of the year provides additional support for businesses that depend on a steady flow of international visitors.

Almost 35 years of international promotion has helped strengthen the region’s golf industry

The Association of Golf Courses of the Costa Blanca and Valencian Community has spent almost three and a half decades promoting the destination to golfers internationally.

Its work brings courses together with accommodation providers and other tourism businesses, helping present the region as a combined golf destination rather than a collection of individual venues.

The Award for Promotion of the Local Economy will be presented at the eighth UEPAL Awards in Elda on Friday, September 18.