Golf business occasion Scottish Golf Tourism Week concluded final night time (March 21) in Inverness with predictions that this yr’s assembly of suppliers and tour operators would convey golf vacationers to the house of golf from extra international locations than ever earlier than.
Delivered to the Highlands in partnership with native newspaper The Press and Journal, 90 tour operators representing a document 40 international locations spent the week visiting programs round Scotland and participating in over 3,500 face-to-face appointments planning itineraries for visiting golfers in 2024 and 2025.
Organised by DC Thomson and supported by The Highland Council, Go to Inverness Loch Ness, Highland and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland, offers performed through the week convey an estimated 50,000 golf vacationers to Scotland annually, massively benefitting native economies.
The six-day annual occasion has been going down in St Andrews since 2016 and relocated to Inverness for the primary time this yr, centred on the metropolis’s Kingsmills Lodge in affiliation with Good Highland Meals. The choice to maneuver the occasion from its Fife residence was taken to make it simpler for north east suppliers, notably small and medium-sized companies, to entry world consumers.
Subsequent yr, the occasion will proceed to showcase extra of Scotland’s golf areas and assist native companies and communities with 2025’s host metropolis introduced as Aberdeen, sustaining the partnership with The P&J.
The week culminated on March 21 with the distinguished Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, held on the on the Culloden Battlefield Customer Centre in Inverness. Introduced in affiliation with Luxe Scot, the awards noticed St Andrews’ Connoisseur Golf choosing up Finest Tour Operator for a second yr working.
A complete of 15 awards have been handed out at a gala dinner attended by over 500 individuals to have fun the golf equipment, inns and experiences which have helped form Scotland’s status as a world-class {golfing} vacation spot.
Golf golf equipment throughout the north east of Scotland did notably nicely with the Royal Dornoch Golf Membership successful the award for greatest course within the over £250 class, Cruden Bay Golf Membership close to Peterhead successful the £150-£250 class and Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Hyperlinks on the Black Isle successful the beneath £100 group.
A excessive level of the night time was a standing ovation for Gary Wilkinson, former Chairman of the Scottish Inbound Golf Tour Operators Affiliation who acquired a particular recognition award for his unwavering contributions to the golf business.
Andy Williams, chief income officer at DC Thomson, organisers of the occasion stated: “It has been very motivating to see the positivity and optimism this week as Scotland’s golf business has been proudly displaying off to the world what makes this nation, that’s arguably the house of golf, so particular.
“We organise Scottish Golf Tourism Week because it actually makes a distinction to native suppliers. The common profit for every enterprise collaborating is projected to be in extra of £215,000 within the three years following the occasion which is simply extraordinary. The financial advantages goes past that, and it’s estimated that Scottish Golf Tourism Week contributes an estimated £3 million to the native economic system, highlighting the important function that golf tourism performs in supporting companies and group improvement throughout Scotland.
“DC Thomson’s objective is to champion the communities we serve. A rising and innovating Scottish golf sector will create jobs and alternatives in our communities and the extra individuals enjoying the game the extra alternative for our native information titles and types like bunkered to energy them on that journey.”
The complete checklist of winners at this yr’s Scottish Golf Tourism Awards are:
Finest Price range Pleasant Lodge – 3 Star or Equal: Pink Home Lodge
Finest Premium Lodge – 4 Star or Equal: Dundonald Hyperlinks
Finest Luxurious Lodge – 5 Star or Equal: Gleneagles Lodge
Finest Unique Use Venue: Fenton Tower
Finest Course Beneath £100: Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Hyperlinks
Finest Course £100 – £250: Cruden Bay Golf Membership
Finest Course Over £250: Royal Dornoch Golf Membership
Finest 9-Gap Course: Durness Golf Membership
Finest Clubhouse: Dumbarnie Golf Hyperlinks
Finest Clubhouse (extremely counseled): Carnoustie Golf Hyperlinks
Finest Professional Store: Carnoustie Golf Hyperlinks
Finest Sustainability Undertaking: St Andrews Hyperlinks Belief
Finest Golf Advertising Marketing campaign: Bonnie Wee Golf
Finest Tour Operator: Connoisseur Golf
Particular Recognition: Gary Wilkinson
