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Hosting golf’s Open Championship in Northern Ireland during the summer generated £280 million in economic benefit for the region, independent research has suggested.

An assessment commissioned jointly by tournament hosts The R&A and Tourism Northern Ireland found that July’s sporting showpiece at Royal Portrush Golf Club delivered almost £90 million in economic impact within Northern Ireland.

Further research indicated that exposure of the region to a global audience produced £191 million worth of destination marketing benefit.

Almost 280,000 spectators attended Royal Portrush across a week that culminated with world No 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler lifting the prized Claret Jug in front of thousands of cheering fans.

The 153rd Open at Portrush was the second-best attended event in the championship’s long history.

Now, an economic impact study conducted by the sports industry research centre at Sheffield Hallam University has calculated that the Open provided £89.2 million to Northern Ireland, of which £43.7 million was generated within Portrush and the surrounding Causeway Coast and Glens area.

This is a significant increase on the previous occasion the Open came to the region – 2019 – when it was assessed as generating £45 million for Northern Ireland, including £26.2 million for Causeway Coast and Glens.

Separate research by YouGov has assessed the global exposure of the competition this summer – through TV, digital platforms and online media – as being worth £191 million in destination marketing benefit.

Mark Darbon, chief executive of The R&A, said: “This remarkable economic benefit figure of more than £280 million demonstrates the huge value The Open brings to the regions in which it is staged.

“As one of the world’s great sporting events it drives tourism, generates substantial additional income for local businesses and communities, and attracts an international audience to watch the world’s best golfers compete at world-class venues.

“We enjoyed a truly spectacular championship at Royal Portrush and relished the incredible passion and enthusiasm of the fans who created such a fantastic atmosphere.

“It was hugely appreciated by the players who were competing for the iconic Claret Jug, including home favourite Rory McIlroy and this year’s champion golfer, Scottie Scheffler.

“We would like to thank the Government and the local agencies in Northern Ireland together with the staff and members of Royal Portrush for their support in making The 153rd Open a huge success.”

More than half the golf fans who attended the Open (59.5%) travelled from outside of Northern Ireland, including 17.3% from England, 16.7% from the Republic of Ireland and 12.3% from the United States of America.

Stormont’s Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald welcomed the research findings.

She said: “This is unprecedented and demonstrates the importance of hosting such events for our economy.

“The hosting of The 153rd Open here was a resounding success. We once again demonstrated our ability to host major events, strengthening our reputation across the world, including generating new tourism opportunities as our wonderful landscape was broadcast globally.

“It boosted local businesses and provided a platform for building relationships with investors, including an event in Derry that I hosted to showcase the north-west as a location for international expansion.

“I am proud of our role in delivering the 153rd Open. I would like to thank the R&A for again entrusting us with the championship, as well as Tourism NI and all the partners and volunteers who helped deliver such an amazing event. We look forward to the R&A returning for the next chapter soon.”

Ellvena Graham, chairwoman of Tourism Northern Ireland, said: “We have always known that golf tourism is a key driver for the local economy and today’s economic impact figures are testament to that.

“Tourism NI’s own research shows the benefits of The Open were widespread.

“Around 67% of those who attended the Championship extended their stay to visit other parts of the region, where they spent money and experienced our famous Giant Spirit welcome. Furthermore, golf clubs and local businesses reported a positive local economic impact.

“Indeed, while the championship generated £280 million in combined economic and media benefit, marketing and communication activity undertaken by Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland delivered an additional £12.1 million in PR value. This ground-breaking event will undoubtedly raise our standing on the world stage.”

Tourism bosses in Northern Ireland are hopeful of a swift return of the tournament following this summer’s successful staging.

When the Open came to the region in 2019 after an almost 70-year absence, the R&A committed to bringing it to Royal Portrush at least two more times.

There was surprise at how soon the major championship then returned, especially as the event skipped a year because of the pandemic in 2020.

Tourism NI is now hopeful that there will be a similar timeline for the next staging of the championship on the region’s scenic north coast.