Ángel Víctor Torres Pérez, President of the Canary Islands, visited Meloneras Golf by Lopesan as the venue prepares to host the inaugural Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, the first event in the European Tour’s ‘Canary Islands Swing’.
Pictured (L to R) Manuel Lopez Santana (Government of the Canary Islands) Francisco Lopez Sánchez (Lopesan Hotel Group), Ángel Víctor Torres Pérez (President of the Canary Islands), Rafa Cabrera Bello, Teresa Berástegui (Government of the Canary Islands) and Florencio de la Rosa Camejo (DISA Group)
The President joined Gran Canaria Lopesan Open host - the Ryder Cup star and four-time European Tour winner Rafa Cabrera Bello – and Francisco López Sánchez, CEO Lopesan Hotel Group, to pledge his support for the events alongside Manuel Lopez Santana, Director General of Sport and Teresa Berástegui, Deputy Minister of Tourism for the Government of the Canary Islands and Florencio de la Rosa Camejo, Director of Corporate Strategy and Diversification at DISA, the energy products and services provider who are supporting the three upcoming events on the idyllic islands.
Cabrera Bello, who was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and established the Circuito Juvenil Rafa Cabrera Bello for young golfers around the archipelago in 2019, said: “I’m passionate about growing golf in the Canary Islands and it’s a great honour for me to return home to play in and host the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open. I would like to thank the Government of the Canary Islands, and Cabildo de Gran Canaria for their support, in addition to the partners who have helped to make this swing of events happen.”
Angel Victor Torres, President of the Canary Islands, said: "We are happy that the contribution made by the Government of the Canary Islands through the Ministry of Tourism and the General Directorate of Sports, and the contribution of companies such as Lopesan and Disa, is supporting an event that, without a doubt, is going to showcase the Canary Islands as an enormous tourist attraction.
"The Canary Islands have clear skies and temperatures of 20 degrees all year round. In addition, we have first-rate tourist and sports infrastructures to host competitions such as these European Tour events. We are lucky to have in Gran Canaria and Tenerife over 150 of the best golfers in the world."
Francisco Lopez, Chief Executive of Lopesan Hotel Group, said: “The golf industry is one of the essential pillars on which the tourist recovery of Gran Canaria must be supported as a destination at a global level. In this way, the island will be able to attract that type of premium traveller who usually chooses his or her vacation location based on the opportunities they have to practice their favorite sport. For this reason, Lopesan Hotel Group has made an important effort to promote the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open and hopefully turn the best players of the European Tour into proud ambassadors of the island. They will show the world the Lopesan Hotel Group’s exceptional hotel proposal and top-class sports facilities.”
Florencio de la Rosa Camejo, Director of Corporate Strategy and Diversification at DISA, said: “For DISA it is a pleasure and a privilege, as the leading energy company of the Canaries, to support an international event like this one, capable of showing the quality of the services and the tourism infrastructure of the Canary Islands, along with its professionals, to the whole world. The Canary Islands are a safe and healthy destination, ideal for lovers of golf and outdoor activities, in an extremely pleasant environment. I am sure that our island will satisfy the needs of the most demanding customers, in terms of golf, climate and friendly people”.
The Gran Canaria Lopesan Open tees off tomorrow and will bring back good memories for local star Cabrera Bello, who made his European Tour debut on the island in the 2002 Canarias Open de España, finishing tied fourth as compatriot Sergio Garcia took the title.
The action then switches to Golf Costa Adeje for back-to-back events - the Tenerife Open on April 29-May 2, and the Tenerife Championship, which was added to the schedule earlier this month following the postponement of the Open de France, from May 6-9.
