1 September, 2015
Just two months since the launch of the Brand USA-backed National Golf Tourism Survey conducted by global golf tourism organisation IAGTO, the initiative has proved a huge success with tourist boards and golf courses across the U.S. giving it their backing.
Aimed at identifying the current value of golf tourism in the US prior to the development of a strategy to boost the number of international golfers to the country, the initiative was unveiled during the 7th annual North America Golf Tourism Convention held by IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) in Palm Springs, California, in June.
Already, over 50 state tourist boards and local convention and visitor bureaux have signed up to participate and more than 200 individual golf courses have completed the golf visitor survey so far.
IAGTO Project Coordinator Guillaume Post explained: “Calculating the current value of golf tourism and assessing its capacity for growth on a regional basis is an essential first step to developing an effective golf tourism strategy. This survey and service is being conducted entirely free of charge and we would like to invite every state tourist board, regional tourism organisation and commercially-minded golf course to get on board.”
US tourist boards and golf courses can register at www.iagto.com/brandusa.
The results of the survey will be published at the 8th IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention (NAC), taking place at Pinehurst Resort, NC, from 26-29 June 2016.
Peter Walton, IAGTO’s Chief Executive, is inviting all tourist boards, however small their golf destination, along with their golf courses, hotels and DMCs to attend NAC next year. He said: “Not only will the NAC be their chance to meet with over 100 golf tour operators from 25 countries, all selling golf vacations to the US, but it will double up next year as an educational forum helping every golf destination in the US find the most effective ways to develop international golf tourism.”
Details of the NAC event at Pinehurst Resort are available at www.iagto.com/NAC.
Tourist boards and golf courses already signed up and participating in the National Golf Tourism Survey are from 20 states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Oregon, Washington State, Montana, Maine, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia and Hawaii.
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Brand USA
Brand USA, the destination-marketing organization for the U.S., has partnered with the IAGTO to drive golf tourism to the USA. IAGTO and Brand USA have embarked on an evaluation of the current state of golf tourism in the U.S. with a national golf tourism survey being conducted across as many as 30 US states (www.iagto.com/brandusa).
About IAGTO
Established in 1997, IAGTO is the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry, and has over 2400 members in almost 100 countries including nearly 590 golf tour operator members in 61 countries, which control more than 85% of golf holiday packages sold worldwide and which collectively have annual sales of over US$2 billion. IAGTO runs annual Asia and North America Golf Tourism Conventions, along with regular Destination Conventions. IAGTO established the International Golf Travel Market, now owned and operated by Reed Travel Exhibitions, in 1997 and the International Golf Travel Writers Association in 2000. IAGTO also runs the prestigious annual IAGTO Awards and the IAGTO Excellence Awards.
Contact:
Guillaume Post
Marketing & Communications Manager
gpost@iagto.com ? Tel: +44 20 8096 3377 ? www.iagto.com