Fhotos: Fredy Torra

Laura de Arce is a tourism technician and has a vast experience in this sector and she has been at the head of the Marbella’s Tourism Department for two years. Since she started her objective has been to deseasonalize tourism in the city. Golf is a key tool for her to achieve this and she is convinced that the 2023 Solheim Cup will mark a before and after in the Costa del Sol.

So much work over so many years, at last the Solheim is here…

Has it been three years? Three years and a half? Incredible! When I arrived in 2018 the planning was already in progress. Imagine what we have gone through. It has been very complicated because it is a huge event, something never done before on the tourism level by the Townhall, most of all, a plan of a million and a half divided over five years, that was something different. And well, after lots of work, many meetings, many disagreements, many ups and downs, in the end it turned out well.

What is going to be the touristic impact?

What was the Ryder cup for the Costa del Sol? It has been a before and after for golf. The Solheim probably won’t be the same because it is women’s golf, but women’s sport was already becoming stronger when we started with the project, even women’s golf. I think it is going to be very important to give the Costa del Sol a good position again, because if thanks to the Ryder Cup in Valderrama we became the Costa del Golf, imagine now that it is held here what it will be. And Valderrama is still living on that Ryder Cup after almost 25 years. There is going to be a before and after most of all because we will be known to the USA, that is very important. The American market was already increasing by 10% and I think this can be a catalyst. There would be people interested in coming to play in a Solheim course and, even more, there would be a time after and we will say that the Solheim was played here. It will position us back as a leading golf destination and, most of all, it will position us within the USA market.

Being held in Finca Cortesin, do you think that Marbella will have the same recognition as if it was played here?

No doubts. Finca Cortesin was chosen because it profiles for many reasons such as that there is a hotel within the course, which is necessary for the players and because it is a top level course. 

Outside the comments generated, we fight for the Solheim to be held in Marbella, the first course in mind was the Marbella Golf Club, but due to some circumstances it wasn’t going to be on time. Then, there were several companies interested in the project, but this is so big that they couldn’t get it and finally it has come to Finca Cortesin. What can Marbella and Benahavis achieve being sponsors? That everything related to the tournament will happen here. It is very important that Marbella holds the inauguration dinner, the welcome and closure events and that the official hotels are in the city. Whitin 25 minutes we can be in the golf course. For a golfer there is not such a thing as municipality, nor those borders that sometimes get put in place. The fact that golfers and fans have to travel every day to see the tournament means nothing compared to what they will find when they come back to Marbella.

You lived one Solheim, can you explain what it is?

It was the first time I saw an event of such a magnitude and it was freezing in Scotland that year back in 2019. For me it was a new world, all those spectators, the participation, the enthusiasm, as much for the European team as for the American one, it is something amazing and I want to live it again. Fortunately, I think we will enjoy it this year in America, but when this is in our Costa del Sol it is going to be very important.

What is the objective you want to achieve with the Solheim?

It is always about achieving the deseasonalization, so that we can be a touristic destination all through the year. We are always working on that, also with some other sectors (gastronomy, culture, green routes, etc.). The fact that the American or Asian tourist, whose holidays are during our winter, could start considering the Costa del Sol as a touristic destination would be the dream come true of anyone related to the tourism sector and obviously in Marbella everything is related to tourism.

Have you already started to notice anything at a touristic level?

I have noticed it on professional, tour operator and journalistic level. When you say Solheim they get interested. For the public it will be later on. To the enthusiasts of the Solheim it will start in Ohio. It is very important for the Costa del Sol that we make a good job with the promotion of this event, the pre as much as the post. I think the institutions as well as Deporte & Business are doing a great job. It is true that during the pre we can’t do much until the Ohio event finishes, but from then and on the presence of the media in the Costa del Sol as a Solheim destination is going to be very important. I think that we are living a golden moment for golf.