Tuesday, 18 November 2008
KPMG Golf Advisory Practice today publishes its Golf Travel Insight report for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, revealing Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Dubai are seen as golf tourism’s future hot spots.
The study, which surveyed more than 80 specialist golf tour operators in 21 countries and was conducted in spring 2008, prior to this autumn’s financial and economic downturn, reveals that Portugal and Spain are predicted to be the most popular destinations in the coming years. However, some surprising destinations are catching up fast. Turkey ranks third on the list of future golf hot spots, closely followed by Dubai – despite figures that reveal the UAE has the most expensive green fees in the entire EMA region. A weekend round on a UAE course now costs on average €121, compared with €78 in Portugal (the second most expensive) and just €30 in the cheapest destination, South Africa.
It’s not good news for established golf destinations such as Scotland and Ireland, however, where operators expect stagnation in inbound golf tourism.
Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG’s specialist Golf Advisory Practice for the EMA region, said: “From our research it seems well established destinations are not losing market share thanks to their deep golfing traditions and the quality of their golf, but the growing competition doesn’t leave much room for further growth. Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia were widely tipped as emerging destinations, and the quality of service in the US, combined with a favourable exchange rate at the time of the survey, makes America very attractive to European holiday golfers.”
The Golf Travel Insight study also paints a fascinating picture of the typical holiday golfer. They play four to six rounds of golf on their typical week-long break, sampling between three and five different courses, and spend an average of €250 per day on the trip – but only a quarter of which is spent on golf itself.
When choosing a destination, they care most about the climate and quality of golf courses – and don’t value sightseeing significantly during their golf trip (sightseeing opportunities ranked bottom when tour operators were asked which factors were most important to their clients).
At the time of the survey in spring 2008, tour operators reported a confident outlook with 90% expecting the sector to keep on growing, 9% predicting stagnation and only 1% forecasting a decrease. Almost half of the surveyed tour operators indicated that high-end golf holidays are becoming more popular and that allocated budgets for golf packages are also increasing.
The report draws on findings from KPMG’s recent study on the overall value of golf to the EMA economy, which revealed that golf tourism generates more than €6.5 billion in total revenue, contributes almost €2 billion to GDP, and supports 60,000 jobs. Between 1 and 1.5% of all leisure trips in the EMA region are now taken by golfers.
Andrea Sartori added: “Our report reflects how important tourism now is to the golf business – it accounts for more than 13% of the entire golf economy in the EMA region. It’s encouraging to see that 90% of tour operators anticipate either steady or spectacular growth in the future. However, this research was conducted prior to the financial and economic downturn and had the survey been undertaken today, the results may well have been different.”
International Golf Travel Market set to be most important yet
12 Aug 10
International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), the premier global event for golf tourism suppliers, buyers... more
The Open Championship returns to Kent and Royal St George's Golf Club in 2011
07 Jul 10
The Open will return to Kent and Royal St George's Golf Club in July 2011, the only venue in souther... more
Belek Golf Club, Turkey, to become a European Tour Destination
09 Jun 10
Belek Golf Club, the first integrated golf and residential community on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast... more
KPMG Golf Business Forum honours Greg Norman and Annika Sorenstam
19 May 10
KPMG’s seventh annual Golf Business Forum, at the Gloria Hotels and Resorts, Belek, Turkey, Ma... more
Burhill Golf and Leisure ranked among Britain's top 100 companies with fastest growing profits
19 Apr 10
Burhill Golf and Leisure, the golf and property management company has stormed into The Sunday Times... more
Costa Brava to become Landmark golf destination
12 Apr 10
Costa Brava-Girona Tourism – which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary as one of Europe&... more
KPMG: Golf and the Economic Downturn
05 Mar 10
KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice today publishes an important new report analyzing the effects of the e... more
ProQuip launches water repellent knitwear with total easy care
02 Mar 10
ProQuip, the world’s leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear and Preferred Supplier ... more
TPL appointed to modernise Emirates Golf Club’s flagship Majlis Course
10 Dec 09
Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the golf course architecture practice founded by five-times Open champio... more
TGI Golf and The PGA join forces to create Europe’s largest golf trade show
05 Nov 09
TGI Golf, one of Europe’s leading buying groups for golf professionals, has joined forces with... more
KPMG announces The Gloria Resort, Belek, Turkey, as venue for the seventh annual Golf Business Forum
28 Oct 09
KPMG today announced that its seventh annual Golf Business Forum will take place at The Gloria Resor... more
TourFlex by ProQuip – a new movement in professional weatherwear
14 Oct 09
ProQuip, the world’s leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear and Preferred Supplier ... more
PGA Golf Catalunya Resort celebrates 10 years in Europe’s Top 10
05 Oct 09
PGA Golf Catalunya Resort has confirmed its position as one of the finest golf estates on the Contin... more
Early birdie promotion extended
01 Oct 09
Golfbreaks.com, Europe’s largest golf travel company, has extended its amazing ‘Early Bi... more
Golfbreaks.com makes Landmark appointment
26 Jun 09
Golfbreaks.com, Europe’s largest golf travel company, has appointed Landmark Media Internation... more
Arnold Palmer issues rallying call at KPMG Golf Business Forum
08 May 09
KPMG’s sixth annual Golf Business Forum, May 4-6, received an inspirational rallying call from... more
PGA Golf Catalunya is ideal Ryder Cup venue - Thomas Levet
06 May 09
Spanish Open winner hails his favourite Spanish course Frenchman Thomas Levet, who claimed his fift... more
Important New golf recruitment web portal goes live
24 Mar 09
Colt Mackenzie McNair, the specialist executive search firm which offers recruitment solutions to th... more
PGA Golf Catalunya voted No.3 in Top 20 European Courses
03 Mar 09
Europe’s “most photogenic golf course” celebrates 10th anniversary with another top 10 ranking. P... more
More than 160 million rounds of golf played in Europe, the Middle East and Africa* - KPMG's third an
18 Dec 08
KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice today publishes its Golf Benchmark Survey 2008 for Europe, the Middle ... more
China is one of the most expensive places in the world to play golf, KPMG report reveals
01 Dec 08
China is one of the most expensive places in the world to play golf, surpassing even the Middle East... more
Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Dubai are golf tourism's future hot spots, KPMG report reveals
18 Nov 08
KPMG Golf Advisory Practice today publishes its Golf Travel Insight report for Europe, the Middle Ea... more
Open de Espana to return to PGA Golf de Catalunya in 2009
17 Nov 08
PGA Golf de Catalunya has been selected to host the European Tour’s Reale Open de Españ... more
Exclusive online video interviews with five times Open Champion on new-look TPL website
17 Nov 08
Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course architecture practice founded by five time... more
Golf course in view of the Pyramids is the most dramatic landscape setting yet for a TPL design
03 Nov 08
Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course architecture practice founded by five time... more
Major players in European and American club management gather in London
28 Oct 08
Leading club managers from America and Europe gathered in London for the sixth annual Business Manag... more
ProQuip's stretchable suit a perfect fit for Faldo in Valhalla
15 Sep 08
ProQuip, official weatherwear supplier to the European Ryder Cup Team, has spent the past 15 months ... more
Is this Europe's most beautiful golf hole?
07 Aug 08
Golfers can discover for themselves when they take the Qualifying School Challenge at PGA Golf de Ca... more
KPMG Golf Benchmark Survey 2008 open for business
01 Aug 08
KPMG Golf Advisory today announced that there are just a few weeks left for golf courses to submit i... more
Financial Times Business of Golf supplement features Landmark Media clients
18 Jul 08
Landmark Media clients benefited from coverage in the Financial Times' special Business of Golf supp... more
PGA Golf de Catalunya is ranked among Europe's best courses
19 Mar 08
PGA Golf de Catalunya, venue for the 2008 PGA European Tour Qualifying School finals, has been ranke... more
PR seminar for PGA European Tour Courses
29 Jun 07
Landmark Media's Gary Firkins delivered a seminar about the power of PR at the PGA European Tour Cou... more