NEW DELHI: The 8th India Golf & Turf Expo – South Asia’s largest golf industry trade show – emphasized on the importance of generating revenues for the golf industry through tourism.
The two-day exhibition for professionals from the golf and turf industry was promoted by the Golf Industry Association (GIA) and supported by Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India). A key takeaway from this was that India’s golf tourism has the potential to generate Rs 1 billion over the next five years.
D Venkatesan, deputy DG Ministry of Tourism, GOI, said: ‘Incredible India’ is the most visible brand globally after Malaysia & Singapore and was confident of golf becoming a key growth engine for tourism in India within the next few years.”
“The growth of golf courses with sustainable ecosystem cannot happen without economic viability of golf courses, and this cannot be achieved without developing golf tourism,” said Peter Walton, president & chief executive, IAGTO.
Mike Orloff, managing director, Golf Industry Central (Australia), shared his views on ‘how golfing clubs can improve the total tourist experience’ while suggesting the introduction of an annual golf festival supported by Incredible India.
The GIA through the sessions announced that they aim to build ten new golf courses across the country with investments worth Rs 10 billion. A critical objective for the GIA is to increase golf’s reach and help the sport become easily accessible to people.
India needs region-wise strategy to promote golf tourism: Peter Walton, president & chief executive, IAGTO.
Considering the vast geographical size of India, the country requires more region-wise planning and strategy to push and promote golf tourism, Walton further suggested.
He said that India has to identify those golf courses which are export ready on a regional basis and has to create background stories and key messaging about those courses.
As far as golf travellers are concerned, the quality of product and service are paramount, Walton said. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the golf courses which can deliver the best of experiences. Besides quality, variety, accessibility, value for money, etc. are key for golfers, he added. “Golf tourism is the most resilient tourism vertical,” he said, adding, the average spending capacity of a golf traveller is 120% more at a destination than a leisure tourist.
Giving a glimpse of the power of global golf tourism, Walton said that there are an estimated 56 million golfers worldwide and 50% of them play golf during their vacation. Moreover, 25% of these golfers take at least one golf vacation in a year. 12% of the American travellers are golfers and they account for 27% of the travel expenditure of America, he said.
While IAGTO represents 2,759 companies across 106 countries, comprising 704 golf tour operators, 913 golf facilities, 456 golf resorts, 778 hotels, etc., only 14% of IAGTO accredited golf tour operators promote India, he said. Thailand gets on an average 400,000 golf visitors a year, generating $1.2 billion to Thai tourism economy, he said, citing the value it brings to a destination.
Speaking at the event, Suman Billa, joint secretary – Tourism, Government of India, said that golf travellers generally stay longer than the average tourist at a destination and spend more, and therefore can become an engine for growth of the tourism economy for a country. While there marquee golf courses across India, the industry has to come together to create an ecosystem to deliver enriched experiences to golf tourists. “We need to connect many dots,” he said.
Deepali Shah Gandhi, president of GIA, demanded reduction of import duty for golf industry, and also opening up of golf courses under the defence authorities for civilians to encourage and promote golfing in the country.
