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

9
There are no golf clusters in Northern Ireland,
although some individual golf venues have either
joined forces to offer packages or have taken
initiatives to group their courses together around
accommodation providers.
In summary, there is a limited strategic approach to
golf tourism in Northern Ireland with individual golf
clubs either ‘doing their own thing’ or not participating
in the golf visitor market. Tourism Northern Ireland’s
role to date has been to develop the quality assurance
system for golf clubs and undertake marketing on an
occasional basis.
Thus the purpose and aim of this golf tourism strategy
is to identify the way forward; precise actions to
support existing commitments (the golf events for
instance); and the further development and promotion
of Northern Ireland’s golf, working and aligning with
golf authorities and other stakeholders. This is the
moment to capitalise on the reputation of Northern
Ireland’s champions and its premier courses.
Strategy Development Process
The strategy has been developed over the autumn
of 2014, with extensive stakeholder engagement
and consultations. Those consulted are detailed in
the appendices. The consultations were designed to
collect views and ideas about the vision and needs of
the sector, current challenges, and what would help
develop performance. An online survey, mystery shop
of golf clubs, workshops, face-to-face meetings with
stakeholders and national organisations have all
contributed significantly to the thinking.
Strategy Delivery and Implementation
To realise the potential of golf tourism for Northern
Ireland, the successful implementation of the
strategy requires:
• Industry (golf clubs and tourism businesses)
and the public sector all to make significant
organisational and resource contributions,
sustained over the five years of the strategy.
• The Golf Advisory Group to champion the strategy
and inspire all stakeholders, in order to deliver
strong, effective leadership at all levels across
the industry and encourage collaboration in
developing memorable golfing experiences
and the delivery of the highest levels of service
excellence.
• Improving links and synergy with the wider
tourism offering of Northern Ireland, adding
value to visitors’ experiences and maximising and
spreading the economic impact from the sector.
• Funding resources allocated to golf tourism
development need to be significantly increased
from the current funding levels.
Golf tourism’s importance lies in attracting
high spending tourists and dispersing their
spend throughout the visitor economy.