There has been a move to develop more golf courses in Cuba and turn this island into an exclusive golf destination. And why not? Anyone who’s traveled to Cuba, knows it would be prime location for a golfer’s paradise in the Caribbean. Its climate, topography and distance from the United States make it the logical choice.
Currently, there are only two golf courses in Cuba. There’s one in Varadero and the other in Havana. Last fall, the U.K.’s London & Regional Properties Ltd began construction of the Carbonera Golf & Beach Resort.
The Carbonera Golf & Beach Resort is a joint venture with Cuba’s Grupo Extrahotelero Palmares. It will put Cuba on the list of the world’s most exclusive golf resort properties. The Carbonera golf resort project sits on 395 acres (160 hectares) of prime coastal property and, when completed, will offer high-end villas for sale to international buyers with deep pockets.
But there’s been more golf course construction news on the horizon for Cuba.
Foreign investors have expressed strong interest in the country, particularly in the sports and tourism sectors. Cuba’s tourism trade show FitCuba 2017, held at the Playa Pesquero Hotel in Holguin, resulted in some signed agreements between foreign investors and Cuba. The deals on the table include Chinese and German investors.
In the west of Cuba, in close proximity to the Mariel Special Development project (ZEDM), Spanish tourism conglomerate Globalia is planning a golf course and condominium project.
The German company CON-IMPEX Touristik’s General Manager, Klaus Apel, signed a letter of intent to pursue a joint venture with Cubagolf S.A., (represented by Raudel Garcia). The project features the construction of a real estate complex and an international marina in Punta Gorda, Cienfuegos province. The negotiations should be completed within the year. By next year, a joint venture company will oversee the project.
The Cuba-German initiative will include a five-star hotel with 300 rooms. The proposed marina will have 300 berths. Once finished, it is expected to further boost tourism in the Cienfuegos area. CON-IMPEX Touristik is bullish about the prospects of golf in Cuba with the general manager expressed his company’s optimism in the joint venture.
Another important development is the signing of a similar letter of intent with Yantai Golden Mountain, a Chinese company that is also determined to make a mark on the country’s golfing scene. Yantai, represented by Mr. Clinton Teng, wants to start a joint real estate project with Cubagolf S.A.. The project includes golf courses in Loma Linda, Guardalavaca, in the eastern province of Holguin. This is just the latest in long list of investments with China.
So it’s official. The signing ceremonies were witnessed by the officials of the Cuban Ministry for Tourism, the German Deputy Director of the Ministry of Economy, Germany’s Ambassador to Cuba Thomas Neisignger, executives of the Empresa Extrahotelera Palmares, and buy cheap tramadol UK other officials in Cuba’s tourism sector. All the parties have committed to reach their objectives as quickly as possible to provide more options for tourism and specifically golfing facilities.
What are the numbers like for the future of golf in Cuba? If the estimate of 29.03 million American golfers in the U.S. is correct, it’s obvious there are not enough golf courses in the works. There’s certainly more room for investment to continue constructing a golf paradise in Cuba.
From our staff writers and editors.
