| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 12/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 43 |
| Copyright: Other |
Holidays
Holidays
GOLFING
Holidays
Holidays
Customers are being urged to book golfing holidays early as demand is starting to exceed availability.
Increased demand for golfing holidays in Spain and Portugal has created an early-booking market.Keen players are booking up to six months ahead for courses in the most popular areas.
International Association of Golf Tour Operators chief executive Peter Walton said: “Demand exceeds availability for many of the most sought-after courses. The booking lead time was three months – now it’s four to six months for the Algarve and Costa del Sol.
“It’s an issue for agents. It’s important they advise their regular customers to book well in advance for September to April on the leading Spanish and Portuguese courses.”
Walton advises agents to suggest other parts of the Iberian Peninsula – like the Lisbon Coast, now widely featured, and the Costa Brava, offered by Longmere this year and being added by 3D Golf for next year.
“I’d like to see golfers and agents spreading the net. While the Lisbon area is deservedly growing in popularity, there’s plenty of quality elsewhere in Spain and Portugal,” he said.
South Africa and Thailand are emerging as long-haul golf destinations and Middle East business is expected to grow following the opening of courses in Doha in Qatar, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and on the island of Bahrain.
“Nearer home, the market for golfing breaks to France, Ireland and Scotland is bigger than ever,” Walton said.
“I also foresee people experimenting with Belgium and Holland.”
Operators planning expansion next year include: Longshot, set to add South Africa, Tuscany and Egypt; 3D Golf, which is looking at Scotland and Belgium; and US specialist Destination Golf, which is featuring Reno and Lake Tahoe in Nevada for the first time.
Longshot product manager Sean Noble said: “Many people who have played in Europe are willing to travel further in search of a new golfing experience.
The addition of Egypt for next year will give a good mix of golf and culture. We are featuring some very good courses – three around Cairo, one in Luxor and one at El Gouna on the Red Sea.”
According to IAGTO, 535,000 golf holidays were sold in the UK last year, a 14% increase year on year.
Two-thirds of these holidays were spent abroad. The average total spend per UK golfer holidaying abroad topped £800.
IAGTO’s Walton added: “Agents can top up their golf holiday earnings by booking tee times and recommending car hire. Between 70%-90% of holiday golfers hire a car on arrival.
“There is also money to be made from flight and hotel upgrades. Around 54% of golf holidays booked in the UK are tailor-made, so it’s worth knowing which are the more attractive products.”
IAGTO will make three golf tourism awards this year, to the undiscovered, emerging and established golf destinations, voted by the 100 golf operators among its 425 members, 33 of which are UK based.
The awards will be presented at Reed Travel Exhibitions’ third International Golf Travel Market, to be staged in Jacksonville, Florida, from December 10-13.
The expanding trade event, which attracted 201 exhibitors and 133 international buyers to Vilamoura in the Algarve last December, will include two full days of appointments andthe IGTM golf tournament.
Meanwhile, IAGTO members are to benefit from a five-year deal struck with Sports Marketing Surveys to supply them with a free copy of the annual Golf Tourism Report – it currently retails at £1,750.
A full training programme in selling golf holidays is being put together by Longshot for ARTAC Worldchoice agencies. Completion of the programme will lead to accreditation as a golf holiday expert.
Longshot’s Noble said 125 shops have already signed up for the training programme.
Taking a long shot: golfers who have already played in Europe are now willing to travel further afield
Taking a long shot: golfers who have already played in Europe are now willing to travel further afield
factfile
KEYOPERATORs
Barwell Leisure: is a specialist to La Manga on Spain’s Costa Calida, also an important tennis centre.
British Airways Golf Holidays: has an extensive destination list that includes Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritius, Kenya, the US, Bermuda, Jamaica, Mexico, Bali and Dubai.
Destination Golf: claims to offer the widest US selection. South Carolina and Florida are the main sellers; North Carolina and Arizona also feature.
Leisure Pursuits Group: focuses on the Algarve and Andalucia; also features France, Ireland, the US and Turkey. It aims to build on the 5% of sales it does through the trade.
Longmere Golf Holidays: tailor-made specialist featuring northern Portugal and Spain’s Atlantic coast along with the Algarve and the Costas. It also has an island selection – Majorca, Madeira, Tenerife and Cyprus, plus Tunisia, France, Ireland and the US.
Longshot Golf Holidays:this Meon brand brochures 28 tournaments, mostly in the Algarve. Spain and Portugal dominate the programme, which also features Tunisia, Bermuda, Dubai and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. America’s Great Lakes regionand South Africa golf are tailor-made.