The London Golf Show has now established itself on the exhibition calendar following a successful second outing at ExCeL London in April.
With more than 30,000 visitors passing through the doors, the show’s owner – the recently re-branded The Golf Show Company Ltd – recorded an increase in revenue from ticket sales of 27 per cent to ensure a bright future for the event.
Andy Barwell, The Golf Show Company’s marketing director, said, “We’re here to stay. We believe a successful second staging of the London Golf Show proves we, as a company, are here for the long-term and not just out to make a quick buck.
“We have plans in the pipeline to put on similar shows in other countries and the support from our exhibitors over the past two years has convinced us we are filling a market need.
“Our data capture shows us we are being successful in targeting high-worth individuals who are happy to spend at a retail event such as ours. And we are attracting reputable partners across the spectrum as a result of our success.”
One such partner was BBC London, which broadcast Danny Kelly’s programme live from the show on 94.9FM on Thursday and carried the TV sports news live from ExCeL the following night with Mark Bright.
BBC London 94.9FM reporter Nigel Bidmead was part of the team broadcasting live on the opening day – and he was amazed by the success of the venture.
“The interest the golf show generated was phenomenal,” said Bidmead. “The calls into our show just went off the scale.”
And once again children’s charity Sparks was the official charitable partner and attracted a plethora of celebrity support including Jimmy Hill, Sir Trevor Brooking, Bruce Grobbelaar, Matt Le Tissier, Kevin Whateley, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Robert Powell, and stars from EastEnders.
The event consolidated its position as the biggest public golf show in Europe, with more than 300 stands exhibiting every conceivable product of interest to golfers – from the major equipment brands such as TaylorMade, Nike, Mizuno and Macgregor and fashion items from Tommy Hilfiger, J Lindeberg, Puma and Pringle, through to a wide selection of golfing destinations, properties and tourist authorities.
Visitors were able to enjoy interactive features such as the floating green in the Victoria Dock, the indoor driving range, free golf tuition from renowned experts and a whole host of celebrities showing off their short-game skills on the chipping green.
The attendance of more than 30,000 pleased organisers, as figures for the launch show, in 2005, included attendees with ‘complimentary’ tickets, given out to establish the show.
The Golf Show Company Ltd, chairman, Colin Brunton, said, “I was delighted to see a steady flow of visitors stream through the doors and particularly pleased we stuck to our policy of ensuring the vast majority of visitors paid for their tickets.
“It is all too easy for event organisers to issue complimentary tickets to boost their visitor numbers, but we were determined to make sure we targeted the right golfers, and attracted visitors who would be of interest to our exhibitors, ensuring they would have a great day out.”
Brunton added, “The London Golf Show in 2007 will build on the experience of 2006, with the accent on younger players and women golfers. We have learned from this year, and will continue to develop the show with advice from exhibitors and visitors, so we can continue to see the show grow and evolve into a thoroughly entertaining day out for the family and for golfers at every level.”
London Golf Show www.londongolfshow.com
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