Destination Golf - June 2017 * | Page 10

Travel News The Race to Marrakech is on… The 2nd Edition of the MOROCCO NORDIC GOLF TROPHY to take place in Finland, Denmark, Norway & Sweden with the Grand Final taking place in January 2018 at the Palmeraie Golf Resort.The Moroccan National Tourist Office for the Nordic & Baltic Countries is organising a series of 16 qualifying golf tournaments in Finland, Denmark, Norway & Sweden Between May and October 2017 in partnership with several Golf Tour Operators & Golf Media, leading to an exciting Grand Final of the MOROCCO NORDIC GOLF TROPHY in Marrakech. IAGTO announces first Japan Golf Tourism Convention in October 2018 Following a number of visits and inspections to Japan since 2010, IAGTO is delighted to announce that it will stage the first ever Japan Golf Tourism Convention (JGTC) in the Mie Prefecture in October 2018. With golf’s second outing at the Olympics only three years away, in Tokyo, this is the perfect time for Japan to begin rolling out, carefully and cautiously, a national golf tourism strategy in which the Japan Golf Tourism Convention and the Mie Prefecture will play a pivotal role. Scotland boss to boost La Manga Club charity week Scotland manager Gordon Strachan will be among a host of stars and dignitaries who will gather at La Manga Club this summer to help the famous Spanish resort raise money in aid of under- privileged children in South America. 10 Destination Golf .TRAVEL HONG KONG: EFG Bank enters three-year title sponsorship of the city’s premier women’s golf event To be staged over the Old Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club from 9 to 11 June, the third edition of the popular tournament, the first and only ladies’ event in Hong Kong in which players earn Rolex World Ranking points, will also welcome a title sponsor for the very first time with EFG Bank backing the event in a three-year sponsorship deal. IAGTO - 2016 Golf Tourism Survey Outcome Throughout last year a total of 955 IAGTO member companies completed Quarterly Surveys, golf outbound tour operator sales continued to grow last year, making 2016 the fifth year of consecutive growth, with sales on average up 7.5% year on year. Breaking this down regionally, North America outbound was once again strong at 9.4%, with the Asia Pacific and Europe up 9.0% and 6.2% respectively. On the other side of the aisle, golf resorts, golf courses and hotels around the world reported that golf visitor arrivals in 2016 were up by an average of 4.2% compared to 2015, with Europe performing best @ 6.1%, followed by the Asia Pacific @ 4.7% and North America @ 3.1%. A Legend reborn in Slovenia - King’s Course at Royal Bled The Iconic King’s Course at Royal Bled welcomes golfers again this week after an extensive 2 year redesign and renovation which has seen the reconstruction and remodelling of all greens complexes, tees and bunkers as well as the remodelling of many fairways and lake complexes.