New board aims to “demystify wrong beliefs about the sport”
Nuno Sepúlveda, Co-CEO of Details Hospitality Sports & Leisure – which manages several renowned golf courses in Portugal, including Vilamoura, Palmares, Aroeira and Vale Pisão – has been announced as the new president of the National Council of the Golf Industry (CNIG).
The new president has taken on the role with a “robust strategic plan to promote the sustainable growth of the sector.”
“We want to call attention to the significant impact of golf on the national economy and help demystify some wrong beliefs about this sport,” said Nuno Sepúlveda in a statement to the press.
CNIG’s new board features golf sector representatives from all over Portugal, including the Madeira and Azores archipelagos, starting with Frederico Brion Sanches (Silver Coast Golf Club), Luís Cameira (Estela Golf Club), Ricardo Abreu (Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra), Jorge Papa (Imoreguengo), Rodrigo Ulrich (Clux Comporta Golf) and Pedro Castelo Branco (Clube de Golfe Royal Óbidos). The general meeting board is led by Alexandre Barroso (Golf Time), with Hugo Santos (Estoril Plage) as vice-president and Hugo Amaral (Albatroz Fantasy) as secretary. The supervisory board is led by Carlos Pinto Goelho (Guia), with Francisco Cadete (Golf Béltico) and João Paulo Sousa (Benamor) as members.
Six key initiatives have been outlined as the main goals of the new CNIG board, spearheaded by the plan to start a “debate about water resources, with the goal of demystifying the idea that golf is a big water consumer compared to other sectors.” CNIG also aims to fight for a reduction of VAT rates on the golf sector, order new studies into the economic impact of golf in Portugal, the return of major international golf events to Portugal, the implementation of sustainability practices, and the renovation of golf courses using funds from Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Nuno Sepúlveda has also stressed the importance of golf sector entities working together towards their common goals.
“It is crucial that we align with all interest parties,” he said, proposing biannual meetings between CNIG and other entities such as the Portuguese Golf Federation, Greenkeepers Association, and PGA Portugal.
CNIG is a non-profit association founded in 1995 to represent the golf industry in Portugal and defend the interests of companies that own golf courses.
