The Genesis Scottish Open 2024, a flagship Rolex Series event co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, delivered a substantial £19.2 million net economic impact to the Scottish economy, according to a new report by MKA Economics.
Held at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, the tournament attracted 76,024 spectators over four days, with visitor spending alone generating £10.8 million in net economic benefits. The East Lothian region—home to the host venue—received a direct impact of £7.8 million, supporting 97 jobs, marking a 32% increase from the last comparable study in 2019.
The event not only contributes economically but also supports wider social and environmental goals. Backed by long-standing partners Genesis, VisitScotland, and the Scottish Government, the tournament is a key part of Scotland’s sporting calendar, scheduled again for the week before The Open in 2025.
Beyond economic gains, the Genesis Scottish Open actively engages with local communities through sustainability and educational initiatives. In 2025, the Golf Futures programme will return, providing local schoolchildren with career talks and behind-the-scenes access. Meanwhile, the Green Drive initiative will focus on clean energy, waste reduction, and sustainable transportation.
A new ‘Better with Nature’ campaign will let fans engage with the natural beauty of the course through interactive nature trails and scavenger hunts. Additionally, the Sustainable Golf Symposium, held in collaboration with Scottish Golf and the GEO Foundation, will host over 120 participants from clubs and key stakeholders.
Rob Dickson, Director of Industry and Events at VisitScotland, emphasized the tournament’s importance:
“The Genesis Scottish Open brings global attention and thousands of visitors, enriching our tourism economy while supporting meaningful social and environmental causes.”
Business Minister Richard Lochhead praised the event’s role in tourism and community benefit:
“This international tournament brings significant value and energy to East Lothian and beyond.”
Rory Colville, Championship Director, added:
“The Genesis Scottish Open continues to grow in stature, drawing elite players and record-breaking crowds, while delivering real economic and social value to Scotland.”
With rising attendance and expanding initiatives, the Genesis Scottish Open is poised to make an even greater impact in 2025—both on and off the course.
About the DP World Tour
The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf tour of the European Tour group.
As golf’s global tour, we showcase global talent in global destinations and use our platform to build, entertain and connect our global community.
GLOBAL TALENT: We provide pathways and a platform for the leading international talent, bringing together golfing icons, national heroes and emerging stars from around the world.
GLOBAL DESTINATIONS: We stage tournaments in iconic cities and locations around the world and each week we celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of the courses, cities and cultures we visit.
GLOBAL COMMUNITY: We build, entertain and connect communities through our commitment to innovation, creative content and having a positive social and environmental impact.
Our 2025 Global Schedule features 42 tournaments in 26 different countries and comprises three distinct phases: five ‘Global Swings’, the ‘Back 9’ and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’. It features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour – and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, has been the title partner of the DP World Tour since the start of the 2022 season, the Tour’s 50th season following its formation in 1972.
We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, Aldar, BMW, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Emirates, Fortinet, Nexo and Vestas as Official Partners.
About the Rolex Series
The Rolex Series is the premium category of events on the DP World Tour, comprising five tournaments in 2025, staged in a variety of world-class golfing locations around the globe, each with a minimum prize fund of US$9 million.
Showcasing innovation, enriched media, content and broadcast coverage, and a superior event experience for both fans and for the world’s top players, the list of Rolex Series Champions includes some of golf’s most distinguished names.
The Rolex Series was launched in 2017, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s enduring partnership with the European Tour group.
In 2025, the Rolex Series comprises; the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January 16-19), the Genesis Scottish Open (July 10-13) the BMW PGA Championship (September 11-14), the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (November 6-9) and the DP World Tour Championship (November 13-16). The latter two events comprise the DP World Tour Play-Offs and feature the leading 70 and 50 players from the Race to Dubai respectively.
About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 28 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 30 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $4 billion.
About Genesis
At Genesis, we put customer comfort at the center of every decision we make. Genesis is a global automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of performance, design, safety, and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. Genesis designs customer experiences that go beyond products, embodying audacious, progressive, and distinctly Korean characteristics within its unique Athletic Elegance design identity. With a growing range of award-winning models — including the G70, G80, G90, GV60, GV70, and GV80 – Genesis aims to lead the age of electrification with battery EVs, starting with its Electrified G80, GV60, and Electrified GV70 models. Since its initial launch in Korea, Genesis has emerged in key markets across the globe.
Scotland, the home of golf
Scotland is renowned around the world as the home of golf. It is the birthplace of the game and to this day remains its historical home. It is also a modern, dynamic and world-class golf events and tourism destination welcoming hundreds of thousands of golfers every year and regularly playing host to the biggest tournaments in the world.
Golf tournaments provide the perfect stage to showcase Scotland’s first-class courses to the world. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the growth of the game in this country, including through activity delivered by organisations including VisitScotland, Scottish Development International and Scottish Golf. This includes; supporting economic and business growth within the Scottish economy, driving increased participation in the sport and helping to nurture the next generation of Scottish golfing stars.
