TOURISM in the Philippines is set to reap the benefits when 200 golf tour operators from 33 countries descend on Manila this month for the largest-ever gathering of golf tourism professionals in Asia.
The city is hosting the 7th annual Asia Golf Tourism Convention, with the tour operators also experiencing golf in some of the country’s key golf regions both beforehand and afterwards.
At the AGTC Opening Address at Resorts World on Monday, Peter Walton, Chief Executive of event organizer IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), will announce the operators’ steady growth.
“In 2017, IAGTO’s 683 international golf tour operators recorded an 8.8% growth in golf vacation sales, marking six years of consecutive growth in this high revenue, low impact, tourism sector,” said Walton.
“In January this year, forward bookings taken by golf tour operators were up 10.8% compared to the same time last year. Golf courses, golf resorts and hotels in Asia reported golf visitor arrivals up 9.2% in 2017,demonstrating that golf travel continues to outstrip the growth of general leisure tourism by a significant margin,” he said.
Speaking in London this week, Walton added: “Thanks to the efforts of the Philippines Department of Tourism and its Tourism Promotion Board, the world’s leading golf tour operators will see for themselves an amazing array of golf experiences – including the Tagaytay Highlands, Clark/Angeles City and Metro Manila – for the first time, in the case of the majority of them. At the convention itself, close to 1,000 meetings will take place between international tour operators and Philippine golf course, hotels, inbound operators and other golf tourism suppliers. I have no doubt that this will lead to an immediate and sustainable growth in golf tourism to the Philippines.”
“Golfers spend 120% more per person per day in destination compared to general leisure tourists – more than double! This is revenue for the country’s tourism industry and not just the golf courses, as 75% of spend is concentrated on hotels, restaurants, shopping and transportation,” said Walton.