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Donald Trump’s investment in Turnberry can only be viewed as a good thing, according to Gordon King, property surveyor from Baird Lumsden.

The company has previously handled the sales of numerous Scottish clubs – including The Woll, Selkirk, Dragon’s Tooth and Ballachullish – and King expects Trump’s investment in the South Ayrshire resort to yield many wide-ranging benefits.

Donald Trump‘s well-publicised acquisition of the Turnberry Hotel and Golf Complex in Ayrshire shines the spotlight on the global fascination for Scottish destination golf resorts and the huge value in their branding,” he said.

“While Turnberry will be the only privately-owned venue on the Open circuit, other resorts such as Gleneagles, St Andrews Bay, Troon and, of course, Loch Lomond figure prominently in the international golfing consciousness as international brands or classic courses.

“Conversely, nobody might ever have heard of Menie in North Aberdeenshire had Donald Trump not had the vision to identify the potential for, and then create, an ideal Scottish links on the North Sea dunes – even if others might not particularly welcome it.”

“The international dimension is crucial”

He added: “It is a feature of the global destination resorts that they must rely upon high net worth individuals, including the founder investors and those with corporate or personal memberships – but also upon the power of good, international marketing.

“This marketing can extol the virtues and attractions of Scotland, and its golf, that some of us might have stopped noticing.”

King also highlighted the significance of the Donald Trump brand as another major benefit.

“The international dimension is crucial,” he said. “The business plans of global destination resorts are not exactly transparent but, given the costs of development and purchase involved, it seems unlikely that they could survive on the strength of UK generated turnover or be underpinned Scottish property values.”

“And the absence of a highly sophisticated international marketing machine explains why some of the fantastic courses we know of in Scotland – such as Crail, Nairn, Dunbar and Ladybank – might not attract similar turnover and clientele.

“Donald Trump’s investment might herald a renaissance for all.”

Do you share King’s view on Donald Trump’s investment?

Let us know what you think by leaving your thoughts in our ‘Comments’ section below.

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