Starting from scratch
From the outset, we sought to showcase the quality of golf on offer here in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mauritius is somewhere people are familiar with, if not geographically, certainly as a sun, sea and sand destination. So, the aim with tournament hosting was not only to encourage people to experience golf at Constance Belle Mare Plage, but to show prospective visitors (in as visual way as possible) that Mauritius as a whole is a destination where they can relax, enjoy and partake in some top-quality golf.
Finding our niche
Stepping into tournament hosting is not always a straightforward decision. It’s not the sort of thing you just try for a year to see if it works. You have to understand that to really reap the benefits of this kind of relationship, it takes time to develop and thought around how to capitalise on it.
What we have found critical to our success over the years is developing a clear identity. We’re fortunate that our surroundings help us to stand out visually, but what’s also been interesting and unique is the convivial nature of the tournament, which is very much a by-product of players and spectators being in a relaxed environment where life moves that much more slowly. It sets a good tone.
Making a tangible commercial impact
Though showcasing both the resort and the quality of golf in Mauritius was the broad philosophy and approach, there was an underlying commercial goal to link tournament hosting to increased visitor numbers at the resort.
Every year we meet new people coming to the resort as a result of having viewed the highlights from the MCB Tour Championship. Now we’re in our ninth year of hosting the tournament, we also see familiar faces who, having clearly relished their time here, are returning year-on-year. This, for us, is the motivation behind continued tournament hosting; not only does it encourage new visitors, but those guests keep coming back, continually growing the customer base of the resort.
Where to from here
We know evolution is key, and this year an exciting development is set to really take things forward. The MCB Tour Championship will now be split over two events – the first here at Constance Belle Mare Plage – and the second at Constance Lemuria in Seychelles. It’s part of a new Final Series on the Staysure Tour and forms a new ‘Indian Ocean Swing’.
It’ll be the first event of its kind in Seychelles, and we think will see this part of the world continue to emerge and grow in credibility as a genuine, high quality golfing destination. The Staysure Tour has been, and will remain, an important part of that journey.
