Costa Navarino, Europe’s newest golf destination, has become the latest venue to join the European Tour Destinations network. Located across the Messinian coastline in Greece and created following the principles of sustainable development, Costa Navarino features four signature golf courses including two new José María Olazábal designs at Navarino Hills, which opened in February this year. Olazabal’s creations include the world’s first International Olympic Academy Golf Course and the neighbouring Hills Course, which complement the well-established Dunes and Bay Course layouts designed by Bernhard Langer with EGD and Robert Trent Jones Jr respectively. Golfing guests currently have a choice of three five-star hotels – The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and the newly-opened W Costa Navarino – while the destination will add to its luxury accommodation next year with the unveiling of the first Mandarin Oriental hotel in Greece. Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, added: “Having been recognized as a leading example of sustainable tourism, Costa Navarino is undeniably a sought-after, eco-friendly destination in the heart of the Mediterranean – and one we look forward to be working with.” Nuno Sepulveda, General Manager at Costa Navarino Golf, said: “We are thrilled with the positive response from our international markets to the golf destination we are creating, and we aim to continue upgrading the golf and hospitality experience we offer to our guests. We are positive that by joining European Tour Destinations’ established network, we will amplify our story globally.” A short and scenic drive from Kalamata International Airport, Costa Navarino showcases an abundance of leisure, cultural and wellness activities, as well as dining and authentic local experiences. The destination is developed with respect to the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Costa Navarino is now becoming known also as a place to live. It features a collection of luxury villas for private ownership developed across distinct neighbourhoods, as well as “The Residences at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino”, a number of fully furnished resort apartments.

With global forces impacting the availability of building materials, labour and energy, Pirin Golf & Country Club, in Bulgaria, has employed the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) to expand its real estate portfolio. A move which is proving hugely popular with buyers and investors, as Owner and CEO, Ina Kanazireva explains… A combination of post-pandemic uncertainty, unease in the East and increasing inflation has made obtaining raw building materials a difficult process.  The availability of bricks, concrete, roof tiles, paints and electrical products have all been affected, resulting in longer build lead times, especially for European markets heavily reliant on the Far East for their materials. Surging energy costs and a shrinking skilled labour pool are compounding the challenges. However as other resorts struggle to revise their master plan, Pirin Golf & Country Club, in Bulgaria, is sidestepping supply issues with the help of modern methods of construction (MMC), as Owner and CEO, Ina Kanazireva, explains: “We found that our MMC approach, which we’d adopted way before the pandemic, bucks these shortage trends and meets the increasing demand for new properties.” Modern methods of construction (MMC) is the umbrella term applied to different types of construction involving significant portions or all of the building being manufactured in a factory setting and joined together on-site. Benefits of such a method include: Less material waste – and therefore more efficient use of stock More sustainable and better-quality housing Improved lead times – it is estimated construction time is reduced by 20-60% [1] “Initially, we didn’t build using modular techniques but when an investor approached us with a request for 20 houses, we realised we needed a quick and efficient way to deliver such a project,” added Ina Kanazireva, explaining that lead times for MMC project completions at Pirin Golf & Country Club can range from six months to a year, depending on a client’s needs. “We also needed a quieter and less intrusive method of building, as we didn’t want to inconvenience our members and golf clientele, and of course one that met the same industry regulations.” MMC builds are growing in popularity as lenders realise it meets the same regulations, codes and guidelines as traditionally built homes and therefore are more readily providing finance for such projects. “People were sure bricks were better insulators and thicker, but it turned out this wasn’t the case. We learned plasterboard was more efficient, it’s quieter, and it brings the same qualities,” continued Ina Kanazireva. “Modular building has also enabled us to continue building throughout the winter, when we didn’t want heavy construction materials on site.”  Demand for Pirin Golf & Country Club’s pre-fabricated, modular-built wooden constructions is strong. The Bulgarian resort two hours south of capital Sofia is currently building 17 more Chalets, adding to the 24 units that were sold in just the last 12 months. The level of interest has spurred on the development of much larger Eco Chalets that will be built solely from locally-sourced materials, underlining the resort’s commitment to a more sustainable

As global movements help to highlight the growing problem of plastics in the world’s oceans, resorts – including Constance Lemuria in The Seychelles – are also stepping up and taking action. Sustainability Manager, Mersiah Rose, says a number of proactive measures to reduce plastic use at the island resort have been taken, including eradicating single-use plastic bottles in favour of refillable drinking water bottles.  Now, they are ramping up their conservation efforts by engaging their guests and generating greater awareness. “When we say zero plastic, what do we mean? We mean the reduction of plastic in the country itself, but also we want guests to carry that back with them to their countries. “Increasingly, small islands are suffering with plastic and marine pollution – this is our chance to strike a spark in our guests so that when they go back to their own country they remember the small islands that need their help to reduce plastic. “It’s not just for the island or for the country, it’s for the whole planet.”  Some facts to consider: Around 380 million metric tons of plastic are being produced yearly [1] Approximately 91% of plastic is not recycled [2] About 1.2 million plastic bottles are being used per minute[3] Also affected by plastic pollution are the ocean’s inhabitants.  Constance Lemuria’s Turtle Manager monitors the island’s endangered hawksbill and green turtle populations that return to the quiet beaches on Praslin to lay their eggs. Every year, between October and February, resort guests have the unique opportunity to watch the female turtles come up onto the beach to lay their eggs and later see the baby turtles hatch and move down to the sea. “This is a special moment for our guests, they get to see such a beautiful thing which gives them a feeling that we are really doing something for our island and conservation,” added Mersiah Rose. Watch Mersiah Rose’s interview in full and discover how European Tour Destinations venues are leading the way on sustainability in this new feature, ‘A sustainable future for golf’

The DP World Tour’s cutting-edge content is now amassing over 2 billion impressions each year across social media.  Head of Content at The Tour, Will Pearson, outlines why creating a two-way conversation with followers has been pivotal to the tour’s continued growth, and how resorts can emulate its success as they look to build their customer base.