Royal Liverpool hosted the Open Golf Championship in 2023, generating £187m, and with the Open set to return in 2026 Liverpool BID Company will host a major business-to-business event in 2025. Tony McDonough reports
Crowds at the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Picture by Richard Heathcote/R&A via Getty Images
Liverpool BID Company is looking to capitalise on the city region’s reputation as a world class golf hub with a major business-to-business event in 2025.
In summer 2023 the Open Golf Championship, one of the sport’s four ‘Majors’, returned to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators and generating an estimated £187m for the Liverpool city region economy.
In 2026 the R&A, the sport’s governing body, will bring the Open back to Merseyside, this time at Royal Birkdale near Southport. Ahead of that, in October 2025, the BID will host the Elevate Golf conference at a venue still to be confirmed.
BID chief executive Bill Addy attended the Elevate Golf 2024 conference at St Andrews, regarded as ‘the home of golf’, as an ambassador for the city region.
Merseyside has long been regarded as part of England’s ‘Golf Coast’, stretching from Wirral up into Lancashire. It offers some of the finest links (seaside) courses in the world.
Elevate Golf brings together connecting premium golf courses and four and five-star accommodation providers with the world’s most-reputable golf tour operators.
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Showcasing Liverpool city region’s offer to the international golf market will promote an industry that is a major economic driver of both the city’s economy, its hotels and hospitality sector.
“Golf is a major economic driver for Liverpool and the wider city region and this incredible event will help to connect the city with the most important decision makers within the sport,” said Bill.
Royal Birkdale golf club near Southport will host the Open in 2026
“Liverpool city region, as England’s golf coast, has assets like no other for this industry. The Accommodation BID has been designed to generate more overnight visits and to increase spend in the city’s tourism economy.
“Our subvention fund, which is supported by the hotel and serviced accommodation industry, is designed specifically to bring those major sport, business and cultural events that will convert into money spent in the city.”
Liverpool’s Hope Street Hotel and Municipal Hotel & Spa MGallery will be hosting tours to showcase the city’s accommodation sector.
Annie Brown, general manager at The Municipal, added: “It’s a big moment for the city and attendees have much to look forward to, with the 154th Open returning to nearby Royal Birkdale in 2026 and our team’s exceptional hospitality at their service.”
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