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Cape Town - In five years the Mauritius Open has not only witnessed its own rapid growth as a tri-sanctioned tournament with the European Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour, but it has also significantly stimulated the golf economy of Mauritius.
From December 5-8, the Heritage Golf Club at Heritage Resorts will host the Mauritius Open for the third time in the last five years.
The tournament teed off here in 2015 as a unique coalition between three of the largest professional tours in world golf - the European Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour. It has attracted Major winners, former world number ones, Ryder Cup captains and a myriad of other leading international golfers. But perhaps the biggest impact has been on the golf economy of Mauritius.
"Immediately after the first tournament we saw an increase of 6 000 rounds in one year at Heritage Golf Club. Growth like that is really unheard of, especially considering that the course has been open since 2004," says Jonathan Menteath, the General Manager of Heritage Golf Club.
The global television broadcast of the Mauritius Open, which reaches close to 400 million homes worldwide, has also significantly boosted Mauritius as a leading golf tourism destination.
"Golf in Mauritius has grown from 170 000 rounds in 2011 up to 240 000 rounds in 2018, and I believe that the global exposure that the tournament gives Mauritius has played a big role in establishing Mauritius as a must-visit golf destination," says Menteath.
He is expecting this to increase with the completion of Heritage Resorts' second championship golf course, a design collaboration between renowned golf course architect Peter Matkovich and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.
"The project has been launched in July 2019 and the course is scheduled to open in September 2021. The design and layout of facilities has been finalised with Peter Matkovich, Louis Oosthuizen and the buildings architects. We are working hard to open what will possibly be the best golfing facility in the Indian Ocean," says Menteath.
"It will add immeasurably to the popularity of the Domaine de Bel Ombre and Heritage Resorts. Having two championship golf courses on our doorstep is going to take the resort to another level in that golfers really won’t need to look much further when deciding on what destination and resort to visit on their golf holiday. The design of the second course is so unique and so exciting. It starts at the top of our property and cascades down to the bottom of the property one hole at a time. The views are breathtaking. I think our second course is going to be a popular playing experience to say the least."
In a bid to further stimulate golf tourism to Mauritius, Heritage Resorts also offers its guests a Golf Bliss Package that allows them premier access at discounted rates to all the golf courses on the South West of the island at the resorts of Heritage, Paradis, Tamarina and Avalon.
