Getting Abama ranked among the best golf courses in Europe has always been one of the top objectives of the resort. We spoke with Brendan Breen, the Director of Business Development of Grupo Tropical Hoteles, an Irish native with extensive experience in the resort, golf, and tennis world.
Believing that it is always possible to surpass your expectations if you strive for excellence, Breen sees Abama’s Dave Thomas golf course and professional tennis center not only as an international draw for the resort, but for Tenerife as a whole. The resort's goals include hosting the DP World Tour and having elite tennis players see Abama’s facilities as an ideal place to prepare before the start of the season.
In the 8 years of experience you've had with Abama Resort, you’ve been able to analyze Abama’s sport program and facilities. How do they measure up? What differentiates Abama from other resorts in Spain?
It’s an attractive, varied and complete package that Abama offers golf and tennis lovers. We have high quality facilities and the experience we offer is personalized and luxurious. Every detail is attended to. But what truly distinguishes Abama from other resorts in Spain and Europe is its location. The golf course has 18 views to the Atlantic Ocean, and the excellent Tenerife climate allows our guests to enjoy the facilities 365 days a year in a pleasant temperature, which is unique in Europe.
What are the continued plans for Abama Golf and Abama Tennis?
The aim has always been to position Abama Golf among the best courses in Europe without renouncing its essence. This resort already enjoys a very high level of domestic and international recognition, and it’s a privilege for me to join the team. At the moment we are focusing on the improvement of the golf course by replacing our 18 greens and also the building of a new clubhouse restaurant and golf boutique.
On the subject of trends, on some of the best golf courses in Europe, you can do a 12-hole round. What do you think of that option?
Yes, this trend has already been implemented in many of the best golf courses in Europe and is particularly popular among young people, who manage their free time differently. We know the market is changing. In the past, a golfer was a member of one club, whereas nowadays their grandchildren may not want to be members of one club because they feel it takes away their freedom; they prefer to play on different courses, have new experiences and not feel tied down. The time factor is also very important: the average time it takes to play 18 holes is 4h 30min. It's a long time. On the other hand, 9 holes is too short. 12 holes are perfect, whether it's a player who has finished his working day early or has to combine golf with other family obligations on the weekends. It is a trend in golf that supports compatibility with different lifestyles.
Abama Golf has already received numerous accolades from specialized publications like Golf Digest. How far do you believe the course can go in terms of its prestige?
This year we received a nomination in the 10th Edition of the World Golf Awards, and even a nomination is important for putting Abama Golf on the world map. In the future we hope to stand out even more, through work on infrastructure improvements like changing the greens and remodeling the Clubhouse. We hope the experience we’re able to give our visitors will bring that same nomination back to Abama Golf next year.
In the future, we'd like to host a DP World Tour event on the Abama golf course and have our resort be part of that annual calendar.
The visit from Carlos Alcaraz and the ATP Challenger and WTA events we have hosted at Abama Tennis over the past two years have marked a before and after for the resort. What potential does our tennis center hold? What kinds of additional activities can you see developing here?
The fact that Carlos Alcaraz, proclaimed world champion, chose Abama Resort as a place to relax while he prepared for his season says a lot about the resort and the level of quality our facilities offer for that type of preparation. It certainly increased the visibility of and the interest in Abama. There are a lot of activities that can be carried out in our center, but we would like to focus on big tournaments and on having facilities that can serve as a base for elite tennis players in the run-up to the season.
For amateur players, we design personalized training plans that differentiate us from other centers and that can help them prepare for the various circuits on the island. Abama Tennis is a solid facility that can be leveraged to great advantage in the long term.
Can sport activities be combined with accommodation? What can guests and owners expect in this regard?
Yes, in fact, for many years, the resort has been offering sport packages that include accommodation and golf. We are currently working to do the same for tennis, because there is a huge market for this and we want to offer great packages for groups, individuals, and even clubs. We also have a sports activities service so hotels in the area can include Abama Golf among their offers.
During 2024 we will also focus on establishing a calendar of tournaments and sporting events to create a social atmosphere around sport for our owners and guests. We hope to enrich the luxury and comfort of their stay with events that satisfy their passion for play.
Enthusiastic, tireless and totally committed to making Abama Golf one of the best golf courses in Europe, Brendan Breen knows that sports are adapting to the demands of the modern player and that it's important to stay up to date and offer customers what they are looking for. The best golf resorts will always seek to maintain premium services while striving for excellence.
