Representatives from Scotland ’s golf industry will come together tomorrow at Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club to discuss how best to capitalise on the 2014 Ryder Cup and an unprecedented run of major events at the Home of Golf.
The National Golf Forum, organised by the industry’s trade body Golf Tourism Scotland (GTS), will address key issues affecting the industry which is estimated to be worth around £220 million a year and responsible for more than 7,000 jobs.
Golf clubs, accommodation providers and tourism businesses are being reminded to book their places for the event at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club on 3 July.
The opportunities presented by the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014 will form a large part of the discussions but there is plenty to cover with an exceptional sequence of tournaments that will see The Open Championship played on Scottish soil three times in the next four years.
“Scottish golf has been given a major boost by the R&A’s decision to host The Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2016,” said GTS chairman Lee Derrick. “It adds to what is fast becoming a remarkable run of events beginning next year with The Open at Muirfield and the Ricoh Women’s British Open at St Andrews continuing with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles moving on to The Open atSt Andrewsand concluding with The Open at Troon. These are huge events in golf and we must captialise on the media interest and the exposure that will result from them. That’s what the National Golf Forum is all about.”
The impressive line-up of speakers at the all-day forum will discuss and debate the unprecedented opportunities facing the Scottish golf industry while also providing practical ways of capitalising on these headline events. Confirmed speakers include Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism, who will discuss the importance of golf to Scottish tourism and what can be done to ensure better co-ordination of marketing activities before, during and after the Ryder Cup. In a similar vain John Parker, director of Ryder Cup Travel Services, will outline specific opportunities surrounding the tournament for golf businesses.
“Our objective was to secure a line-up who could offer insight and guidance to the industry,” noted Derrick. “The speakers at The National Golf Forum fit the bill perfectly. After all, this is a summit about providing practical and best-practice guidance that will help businesses get the most out of the next three years. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, so we want to make it count.”
The National Golf Forum will take place on 3 July (tomorrow) and will be open to members and non-members of GTS. Tickets for this important event will be available to purchase at £35 for GTS members and £60 for non-members. To book a place, email admin@golftourismscotland.com
Golf Tourism Scotlandwww.golftourismscotland.com