Leading golf holiday specialist Longshot is offering early booking discounts on 15 resort hotels in its new ‘Best Golf Under the Sun’ brochure for 2000/01. Book a seven night holiday by 15th October 2000 and Longshot will shave up to £50 per person off the booking.
Hotels offering the £50 discount include some of Europe’s leading golf resorts: Le Meridien Dona Filipa in Vale do Lobo with guaranteed play at San Lorenzo golf course, Le Meridien Penina, Caesar Park Penha Longa near Lisbon and La Manga Club in the Costa Blanca.
Although most of the early booking discounts are on European properties with room upgrades and complimentary dinners also featured in selected properties, Longshot has negotiated a £25pp discount at the Renaissance Dubai Hotel in the increasingly popular Arab Emirate, now featured for the second year in the brochure, with a new three night short break option.
The Company has accelerated its drive into long haul golf with the introduction of Egypt and South Africa to the new brochure for 2000/2001. This follows Longshot’s successful first season with Dubai, where short breaks have been added for 2000/2001.
Guaranteed sun, the appeal of its ancient sights and effective promotion by its tourist board led Longshot Golf to consider including Egypt. Product manager Sean Noble says that the quality of its courses “up to European standard and of championship level” clinched the decision. The programme features Cairo, Luxor and the Red Sea as bases with a choice of six golf courses. Prices start from £529pp for seven nights at the New Winter Palace in Luxor.
Noble believes that Egypt will “suit adventurous golfers who are prepared to look further afield and are interested in the broader attractions of a destination as well as wanting to play top quality golf courses. By offering long haul destinations like Egypt we hope to open the minds of UK golfers to the potential for golfing holidays away from the traditional European resorts.”
The same rationale applies to South Africa, which is featured for the first time after being offered as a tailor-made option for the past three years. Longshot Golf is also offering bases in Cape Town, George, Sun City and Natal, the latter completely new for the operator. There are 12 golf courses (5 for Cape Town/George, 5 for Natal and 2 for Sun City) and prices start from £1,175pp for a comprehensive seven-night itinerary combining Cape Town and George including flights, car hire, three centre accommodation and five rounds of golf.
Sean Noble says that Longshot took an extensive look at the facilities available in South Africa before selecting itineraries that would offer clients the best experience. “World class championship courses such as the Gary Player, Erinvale and Fancourt will boost demand for Sun City and Cape Town/George but the real hidden gems are in Natal. Cape Town is likely to have the strongest appeal to first time visitors but we also expect demand for twin centre holidays and will tailor-make holidays that are not featured in the brochure,” he added.