Industry News
WORLD GOLF TOURISM GROWING FAST
Golf tourism is a term used to describe any travel
undertaken where golf is a primary reason for choosing
the destination.
The global golf tourism market is worth US$20bn
according to the International Association of Golfing Tour
Operators (IAGTO).
for 12.0 million accommodation nights. Domestically
Australia had approximately 1.6 million domestic
overnight golf visitors in the same period, accounting for
9.4 million visitor accommodation nights. The average
length of stay for international golf tourism visitors to
Australia was 67.7 nights, and 5.7 nights for domestic
visitors.
IAGTO’s global travel survey published last year showed
that golf tourism grew by an average of 9.3% in 2012, and
grew strongly again last year and indications are that this
trend will continue in 2014 for three years of consecutive
growth.
Craig Kinross, Managing Director and CEO of iseekgolf.
com, says “We are very excited to leverage off our online
golf community (boasting over 1 million page views per
month) to make this move into golf tourism and focus on
marketing regional golfing hotspots.
A new initiative in golf tourism in Australia is
www.iseekgolfhotspots.com launched in February 2014,
a new region-focused golf tourism website from the
creators of www.iseekgolf.com. It lists both national
and international golf travel opportunities.
Golfers are a high yield visitor segment with an average
spend 27% greater than leisure travellers according to
Gold Coast Tourism. The aim of the site is to deliver high
value visitors to golfing hotspots both domestically and
internationally for Australian and international golfers.
We really want to showcase a destinations golf and
tourism assets and drive high value visitors to these
regions.”
It is estimated that 56 million people play golf worldwide:
Of this 56 million, between 5% and 10% travel overseas
each year with their main purpose playoff playing golf, as
well as touring that destination.
Adam Scott’s 2013 US Masters victory followed by the
success of the recent summer of golf in Australia with
further tournament victories for Adam Scott, Jason Day
and Rory McIlroy has put Australia and New Zealand in the
spotlight for golf tourism.
According to the National and International Visitor Surveys
for the year ended 30 June 2013, carried out by Tourism
Research Australia, there were 178,000 international
overnight golf tourism visitors to Australia, accounting
In addition to golf, www.iseekgolfhotspots.com will focus
the traveller on experiencing the surrounding region with
some of the most unique tourism attractions, local wine &
food and accommodation offerings.
For Regional Tourism bodies, Golf Courses,
Accommodation Providers, Regional Attractions and Tour/
Travel Agents wishing to take advantage of this marketing
platform please contact the following:
Phone:
Email:
1300 663 813
[email protected]
Golf Industry Central Autumn 2014
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