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There’s a new golf course in Andorra, nestled high in the mountains. Grandvalira Golf Soldeu is situated in Pla d’ Espiolets. Reachable by an eight-passenger cable car, it is Europe’s highest elevated golf course at 2,590 metres (2,850 yards) high. The nine-hole course is surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains, creating a unique setting.

The Pyrenees Mountains make a beautiful backdrop for this golf course. The scenic area has flowing waterfalls, interesting semicircle cliffs, wooded areas, great elevation, metallic ores, stratified rock, wildlife, mineral springs and hot springs. Though it makes a great place for a ski resort, it is also a peaceful place to be when the sun is shining and a warm breeze is in the air. Now holidaymakers can experience a resort setting that focuses on golf rather than skiing.

The Planning of Grandvalira Golf Soldeu

Planning the location of the new golf course wasn’t easy. It took four years and 3 million euros to plan. The idea was to carefully embed the golf course in the natural environment of the Pyrenees Mountains without disturbing its surroundings. British expert Jeremy Pern led the project. He is famous for his work in designing golf courses.

Building the highest elevated golf course became a labour of love. It is a unique experience for golfers, since it is the only golf course that requires a ride in a cable car to access it. Aside from planning how to get tourists to and from the golf course, a lot of time was devoted to the project. Other time consuming details included construction, greens, planting trees, sodding grass, figuring out how to keep the grass lush, shaping the course and figuring out how to carefully weave the holes among the mountains without disrupting the balance of nature.

Boosting Tourism in Andorra

Andorra is mainly dependent on tourism for its economy to survive. The area brings in more than 9 million visitors per year, mainly from its ski resorts, but there is more to Andorra than the snow-capped mountains. Did you know that Andorra also offers things to do in the summer months? Aside from skiing and snowboarding, holidaymakers enjoy the hiking trails, mountain biking, helicopter rides, para-gliding, trout fishing, bird watching and horseback riding to name a few. The ski Andorra industry isn’t the only tourist attraction in town.

The newest attraction in Andorra, however, is golf. The high-elevation golf course recently opened in this small nation that sits between France and Spain. It gives holidaymakers another reason to visit Andorra in the warmer months and perhaps even in the winter months when the mountains aren’t snow covered, as in recent years.

Finding ways to bring holidaymakers to Andorra in the summer months is one way to build tourism, and golf may very well be the answer. According to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, golf tourism is worth $17 billion globally. The U.S. is the current leader in the industry, but the UK also cashes in on golf tourism.

Golfers on holiday spend money, not only on the golf course, but also in the surrounding areas, at local attractions, at restaurants, at hotels, on transportation and on shopping. Package deals often include entrance to the golf course, airfare and hotel accommodations.

The addition of the highest elevated golf course promises to bring added tourism to Andorra. Grandvalira Golf Soldeu is expected to host renowned golf tournaments throughout the season. It is also offering lessons, rental equipment, a driving range, a practice area and a clubhouse designed for social gatherings.

Golf tourism is expected to bring in extra revenue for Andorra with the opening of Grandvalira Golf Soldeu. While some golfers travel exclusively for specific golf courses or tournaments, others plan their holidays around such events, thus spending more money and staying for an extended period of time. Bringing a high elevation golf course to Andorra is a smart way to maximize the use of the land while attracting tourists on a year-round basis – smart thinking in today’s economy.

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