Golf Tourism
Golf is a popular outdoor recreational activity that supports Colorado’s tourism industry through day and business trips, as well as extended vacations. Colorado has been identified as a significant golf-travel industry – those people traveling to the state with the intention that golf will be a major part of the trip. This finding is not surprising, as Colorado offers several top-quality golf resorts (Colorado has 24 resort-related golf facilities), and many others who travel to Colorado for other reasons are likely to play golf while there.
Golf Tourism Impact
Tourism is one of the strongest economic drivers of Colorado, providing a valuable source of revenue and jobs. In 2018, the Colorado Golf Travel Year 2018 Report[18] reported 85.2 million total visitors to Colorado, spending a total of $19.4 billion. Of these visitors, data presented by the Longwoods International report indicate there were 37.8 million “overnight” trips and 47.4 million “day” trips to Colorado in 2018. The report also estimated that 4.0 percent of travelers to Colorado participated in golf and that golf was defined as a “marketable leisure trip” that was identified specifically in spending estimates. Direct research showed that travelling golfers spent $129 per trip for day-trippers and $704 per trip for overnight visitors.
In 2019, tourism expenditures stemming from travelers who travelled to Colorado specifically to play golf generated an estimated $281.3 million:
Approach
What is measured
The golf tourism industry segment estimates the golf-related travel expenditures in which a person travels 50-plus miles and plays golf as a key recreational activity while on business or leisure travel. Golf-related trips include both overnight and day trips. This figure includes trips to Colorado golf resort destinations, golf outings while on vacation or business travel, as well as trips by Colorado residents to play golf at courses in other parts of the state. People also travel to watch amateur and professional golfers compete in tournaments played in Colorado.
How it’s measured
Data for this calculation comes from surveys and studies of visitors and visitor spending conducted or commissioned by the state of Colorado and the NGF. The Colorado Golf Travel Year 2018 Report[19] was a key resource and included total visitors counts (by length of trip), activities undertaken while in Colorado (golf was noted specifically) and average spending per trip by trip type (including golf). The Longwoods International report noted that golf as an “activity undertaken while in Colorado.” The NGF used its own Golf Travel Report 2018 Edition[20] to adjust the number of golf visitors to Colorado to provide an estimate of golf-specific trips to the state. This is to avoid double counting visitors who come to the state for other reasons and happen to participate in golf, but are not deemed to have added to the economic impact as they would participate in some other activity if not golfing.
Average spending per golf trip
The Longwoods International report provided estimates of total spending per trip by golfers of $129 for day trips and $704 for overnight trips. It is assumed that these amounts actually include spending at the golf facilities (green fees, cart fees, F&B, etc.) that has already been counted in golf facility operations. Thus, the average spend is reduced by $71 for day trips and $142 for overnight trips to account for on-course spending, plus two thirds of transportation to destination is also removed, both to avoid double-counting. The intent was to include spending on accommodation, local transportation, food and beverage, entertainment, gifts, and so on.
