North American golf travel sales ahead of global average in 2018, IAGTO 2018 Golf Tourism Report shows

 

Both sides of North America’s golf travel industry – golf travel operators and golf destinations – saw their sales and golf visitor arrivals run ahead of the global average in 2018, according to the annual Golf Tourism Report by global golf tourism industry association IAGTO.

IAGTO supplier members comprising golf resorts, golf clubs and hotels, who provide the best measure of empirical growth in golf tourism worldwide, reported overall growth of 3.2% in golf visitor arrivals in 2018. While suppliers in the USA and Canada reported that golf visitor arrivals were up 5.4%, well ahead of the curve. Results in the 4th quarter of 2018 reflected these positive results with year on year growth in visitor arrivals in North America running at 2.5% compared to a global average growth for the quarter of 1.5%.

As has been the case now for seven straight years, 2018 was yet another strong year for golf tour operator sales globally with average growth of 8.6% year on year, very similar to the 8.8% growth reported in 2017. IAGTO’s 86 accredited golf tour operator members in the USA and Canada enjoyed even higher year on year growth. Furthermore, the indicators for 2019 are promising with strong forward bookings continuing at the start of 2019 at levels 9.7% (USA) and 5.5% (Canada) higher than at the same time in 2018.

Golf tour operator sales can grow at a different rate to supplier golf visitor arrivals because tour operator bookings represent only one channel of business for golf courses and hotels, with direct bookings also playing a major role, explains IAGTO CEO Peter Walton. However, the report also notes that the rate of growth in golf visitor arrivals globally is slowing down, in line with IAGTO forecasts.

Suppliers also reported healthy forward golf visitor bookings in January up 4.9% year-on-year with Europe this time leading the pack with business booked up 5.1%, Asia Pacific golf destinations up 3.6% and North America up 2.1%.

The USA and Canada were among the outbound markets that are performing particularly well this winter (October 2018 to April 2019), with others including Finland, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Poland in Europe, as well as Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong in Asia. “Interestingly both Germany and the UK report similar healthy results, despite being on either side of the Brexit divide,” says Walton.

There are some notable trends among specific golf destinations for 2019. In Europe’s summer destinations, the rate of growth in golf travel to Northern Ireland has been very strong, bolstered by renewed interest in the destination that will host the 148th Open this July at Royal Portrush. Even as well-established golf destinations, both Scotland and Ireland achieved significant growth last year and forward bookings indicate that this trend will continue through 2019. Also repeating gains accrued last year is Vietnam, while Japan is beginning to attract the interest of discerning golf travelers due to the country’s efforts to showcase its many amazing golf experiences. Most other destinations are reporting steady growth.

“So 2019 is going to be a year to watch with golf travel quite fluid in terms of destination choice with a larger field than ever before set against a backdrop of steady but not rampant growth. Golf tour operators will continue to play a strong hand in both delivering golf visitors and showcasing new golf courses and new destinations,” IAGTO’s Peter Walton adds.

IAGTO’s 11th annual North America Golf Tourism Convention (NAC) will take place at Horseshoe Bay Resort in the Texas Lake & Hill Country from 23-26 June 2019.

Note to Editors

The 2018 Golf Tourism Report was compiled by IAGTO.

IAGTO began its Quarterly Golf Tourism Survey in 2015 collecting and analyzing data from 750+ golf tour operators, golf resorts, golf courses and hotels every three months and more than 1,000 companies once a year. Some of the headline data from the 2018 annual survey is presented below. Please note that

while these figures are an accurate representation of the data submitted from the companies that completed the survey, they can only be used as an indication to global trends.

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For Further Information:

Guillaume Post

Marketing & Communications Manager gpost@iagto.com ￨ Tel: +44 20 8096 3377 ￨ www.iagto.com

About IAGTO

Established in 1997, IAGTO is the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry, and has over 2750 members in 106 countries including over 700 golf tour operator members in 64 countries, which control more than 87% of golf holiday packages sold worldwide and which collectively have annual sales of over €2.5 billion. IAGTO runs annual Asia and North America Golf Tourism Conventions exclusively for its member companies, along with regular Destination Conventions. IAGTO is the Association Partner of the International Golf Travel Market and established the International Golf Travel Writers Association in 2000. IAGTO also runs the prestigious annual IAGTO Awards.

IAGTO Ltd is registered in England as a Professional Membership Organisation.

Registered No. 3507678 – UK SIC 9112, Concorde House, Grenville Place, London NW7 3SA, United Kingdom