Stretching approximately 90 miles along the Mediterranean Sea from La Línea de la Concepción to Nerja, Costa del Sol is a region made up of 103 municipalities in Southern Spain located within the autonomous region of Andalusia.
Boasting more than 320 days of sunshine each year and average temperatures around 65 degrees, Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) is a popular tourist destination known for its hospitality, beaches, cultural offerings, gastronomy, nightlife and leisure activities, especially golf.
Headlined by some of the top courses in Spain including Real Club Valderrama—the No. 1 course in the country per Golf Digest—Sotogrande Golf Club, Finca Cortesin and San Roque Club, the region is home to more than 70 courses. Representing nearly 70% of the region’s total tracks, Costa del Sol features the densest concentration of golf courses in Continental Europe.
“Costa del Sol has been well known as a golf destination in Europe for a number of decades, but not so much in the American market where it’s growing more over the last five years,” said Nacho Olea, Finca Cortesin director of golf.
Since Real Club de Campo opened in 1925 as Andalusia’s first golf course, the popular leisure activity has exploded across Costa del Sol giving the already-nicknamed region another moniker: Costa del Golf.
The game’s growth in the region was rewarded when Valderrama hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, becoming the first European course outside of the United Kingdom to host the prestigious tournament. Costa del Sol was back in the spotlight last year when Finca Cortesin welcomed the 2023 Solheim Cup.
While the tournament has come and gone, the region’s resorts and courses are still benefiting from the increased spotlight shone from the first edition of the biennial women’s golf event to be played in Southern Europe.
“That was a huge statement and a positive statement for Costa del Sol and Andalusia,” Olea said. “It did help us to position Finca Cortesin in the international context, but also Costa del Sol because it brought a lot of people to the region.”
With more than 65,000 spectators, 465 accredited journalists and 13,000+ rooms booked across 75 hotels in the region, the Solheim Cup had an economic impact of more than $59 million throughout Costa del Sol.
Last year was the best year for tourism in the region’s history with 14 million tourists visiting the province, up 12% from 2022. The momentum hasn’t let off in 2024 with a record-breaking 14 million overnight stays through the first six months of the year, up 1.1 million over the same period the year prior.
While tourists from the UK, Germany, France and Netherlands are leading international travel to the region, increasing U.S. tourism, especially through golf, is a focus for Finca Cortesin.
To help amplify its messaging while expanding its marketing efforts and outreach, Finca Cortesin has been working with Troon since December 2022. Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at more than 900 locations across 45 U.S. states and 35 countries globally, including operational responsibility for nearly 600 18-hole equivalent golf courses.
“Spain has always been a popular tourist location for Americans—places like Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Madrid,” Olea said. “They’re no strangers to our country. They know Spain, they like Spain. However, now with the efforts of the Solheim Cup and after the boom of golf from Covid, we have seen a lot more interest in the golf side.
“… Having the Troon stamp is good recognition among our clients. It provides a level of trust.”
Opened in March 2006, Finca Cortesin is an independent luxury golf, hotel and spa destination set across 532 acres in Casares between Marbella and Sotogrande.
Less than an hour’s drive from Málaga Airport, Finca Cortesin has been honored by Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Trip Advisor, Robb Report and more. Designed with inspiration from traditional Andalusian architecture, the resort boasts 75,000 square feet of manicured gardens, a luxurious spa, four swimming pools, tennis and padel courts, a 19,000-square-foot beach club and dining options ranging from local fare at El Jardin de Lutz to a blend of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine at REI, the resort’s signature restaurant.
With 67 suites, the tranquil retreat was built to prioritize quality over quantity, which is equally as evident on the golf course.
The course, which also hosted the now-defunct Volvo World Match Play Championship from 2009-12, limits to a maximum of 100 rounds per day at 12-minute intervals with the first tee time at 8:24 a.m.
While golfers don’t feel overwhelmed with a crowded locker room, pro shop, driving range or clubhouse, they also benefit from small-but-impactful local perks and flair including fresh fruit in the locker room (and on the course) as well as on-course gazpacho or chicken soup, depending on the season.
Despite increased interest in the region and Finca Cortesin, Olea said they’re not interested in bringing in more volume at the risk of sacrificing guest experience, saying “more is not better.”
“There are a number of touches that make us different,” he said. “We want to make it unique, we want to make it different, but we want to make it local as well. … You can provide professional service without being distant or cold.”
Michael LoRé 