A Strategic Review of Golf Tourism in Northern Ireland 2015 - 2020

11
The Vision
The vision for golf tourism is:
To grow the value of golf tourism
from the current estimate of £33m
p.a. to £50m p.a. by 2020 and, in
doing so, to remind golfers worldwide
that “Northern Ireland is where golf
champions are born and play”.
The Strategy Aims
The aims of the strategy are to:
1. Grow the value of golf visitation to Northern
Ireland to £50 million per annum by 2020.
2. Develop the capability and capacity of clubs to
host visiting golfers.
3. Enhance the reputation and visibility of Northern
Ireland for golf tourism in designated markets.
4. Build Northern Ireland’s capacity to host golf events.
5. Support industry leadership and collaboration
across the sector.
Objectives
The objectives of the strategy have been grouped into
five components:
1. Develop stronger clubs to participate in a dynamic
quality assurance scheme to help them focus on
excellent service for visiting golfers.
2. Clustering and collaboration: to encourage and
support local golf clusters to promote collaborative
marketing and learn from each other.
3. Stimulate demand through a focused marketing
campaign aimed at targeted golfers and
geographic segments.
4. Optimise golfing events: maximise opportunities
from golf events up to 2020 and position Northern
Ireland as able to accommodate major golf tour
events post-2020.
5. Leadership, advocacy and champions: stimulate
industry leadership to encourage engagement
and commitment to the shared vision.
The strategy objectives are supported by a series of
actions which are detailed on pages 38 and 39.
Where will the growth come from?
Growth in the value of golf tourism to Northern Ireland
will come from:
• Higher visibility from better co-ordinated
marketing campaigns;
• Building on the stature and reputation of the
golf champions with whom Northern Ireland is
associated;
• Concerted action by public authorities and golf
clubs themselves working with tour operators to
put more packages into the market place;
• Ensuring where capacity exists on links and
parkland courses, that capacity is promoted in the
marketplace, through tour operators and online
travel agents (OTAs);
• Encouraging golfers from GB, Ireland and elsewhere
in Europe to play Northern Ireland’s parkland
courses, where substantial capacity exists.