Worldwide golf holiday sales by golf tour operators have grown by more than 20% over the past two years, according to IAGTO, the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry. Earlier this year, IAGTO’s Chief Executive Peter Walton summed up the most recent trends for Golf Tourism:
“Not only has the cumulative growth in golf holiday sales exceeded, on average, 21% in two years, but 2014 is set to be the third consecutive year of growth, with bookings taken in January being 14.5% ahead of bookings taken in the same month a year earlier. Even allowing for variations in the relative growth of different outbound markets, golf tour operators on all continents will be handling over 20% more golf holiday sales in 2014 than they were in 2011.”
These results come from IAGTO’s second annual Golf Tourism Survey, the largest study of its kind analysing data provided by more than 650 golf tour operators, golf courses, golf resorts and golf hotels worldwide.
Another interesting growth trend is seen in Germany, which experienced the greatest growth in women golfers in 2013, representing 39 percent of all golfers in the country.
2014 Golf Tourism Survey – Key Findings
- The top 10 fastest growing golf destinations in 2013 for IAGTO member golf tour operators worldwide were:
- USA
- Portugal
- UAE
- Scotland
- Morocco
- Ireland
- Spain
- Belgium
- Vietnam
- Italy
- Other destinations that showed growth in 2013 include Turkey, Thailand, Dominican Republic, South Africa and Mauritius.
- 56% of IAGTO member golf courses, golf resorts and hotels reported a significant growth in women golf travellers over the past three years, with Germany being reported as showing the highest growth (followed by the UK, Sweden, France and the USA).
- 52% of golfers worldwide booked their golf holiday via a golf tour operator or travel agency compared to 48% booking direct.
- Golf courses, golf resorts and hotels report that 51% of their golf holiday bookings are taken outside of three months from the date of travel with 49% booking less than three months before travel.
Tactical Rate Campaigns with HotelREZ
Golf tourism is a niche kind of travel, but one that attracts higher spending given the nature of resorts and destinations associated with the sport. HotelREZ represents a number of hotels and resorts with golf courses on site, or nearby to promote them to consumers, travel agents, tour operators and corporates direct. View our collection of hotels with golf facilities here.
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Image Credits
The Golfer image by Alicia Piper via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
