US Visitors To Surge As Open Heads To Northern Ireland

The return of the Open Championship to Royal Portrush is anticipated to bring significant economic benefits to businesses throughout Northern Ireland, according to Tourism NI’s chief executive, John McGrillen. He recalls that when the tournament last visited County Antrim in 2019, it injected £110 million into the local economy, and he expects this summer’s event to exceed that figure.

With nearly 280,000 tickets already sold for the 153rd Open—making it likely the second-best attended ever—the championship has been completely sold out since before Rory McIlroy’s dramatic Masters victory at Augusta National in April. Mr McGrillen predicts that this time the boost will reach at least £120 million.

He explains: “More people will be coming. People will see the images of Northern Ireland. The Open is not just about the week, it is about how it promotes Northern Ireland both as a tourist destination and a golf destination.” He notes that after 2019, there was a marked rise in golfers visiting the region—“Golfers tend to spend about four times more than the average leisure visitor, they are very valuable for the local economy.”

Highlighting the appeal to American visitors, he adds: “Ireland in itself has got a very significant appeal for US visitors.” He underlines the extensive collaboration with the R&A and local councils to ensure businesses can capitalise on the opportunity: “We have worked very closely with the R&A to make sure that local businesses have the best opportunity they can get…We have worked to make sure all of the hospitality providers, as far as we can, are using locally sourced food, utilising local businesses to do that.”

Advising traders on maximising their gains, he suggests adaptations such as extended opening hours: “What businesses need to do is reflect on the fact that people are going to spend quite a bit of time on the course but they will be around afterwards. Changing opening hours for example, is a good way to make sure you are going to maximise the business opportunities.” A new feature allows fans to move freely between the course and town, further boosting local trade: “What we have done, which is different from last time, is people can leave the course, go into the town, come back onto the course again.”

This impact extends beyond the championship week, as Mr McGrillen emphasises: “It is not just about the week, it is what it does for future investment and future visitor numbers to the region.”

Local restaurateur Niall McKenna recalls the 2019 Open as a boon for hospitality: “It was just great. It was like having another Christmas for that week.” He believes McIlroy’s Masters triumph will provide “another injection” of excitement and stresses the need for more “big-ticket events” to sustain tourism and corporate visits.

The rising prominence of golf tourism has spurred investment in north-coast accommodation, exemplified by the new five-star Dunluce Lodge in Portrush. Sinead McNicholl, the resort’s director of sales and marketing, says: “If you look at the 2019 Open, we are a direct legacy from that event. There was a gap in the market for that luxury accommodation offer and that is where the initial idea came from.” She anticipates “another lasting legacy” from the 2025 Open, benefiting both golf and wider business activity.

Beyond Portrush, clubs such as Ardglass in County Down have felt the ripple effects. Director of golf Paul Vaughan reflects: “I guess we all knew we were going to be a little busier but I was definitely shocked at how big of an impact the Open actually had on visitors to Ardglass and the surrounding area…That is the first time I ever experienced that in Ardglass.” He concludes: “Golf in Ireland as a whole is currently flying and long may it continue.”

The Open Championship will be contested at Royal Portrush from July 13 to 20, 2025.