Belek and Antalya is hosting IGTM – the world’s premier golf travel event –from November 14-17, 2011. It is the first time Turkey has hosted International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) now in its thirteenth year. IGTM provides this excellent opportunity to promote Turkey’s golf tourism product to 1,400 of the golf tourism industry’s top delegates, from 67 countries. These delegates are responsible for 80% of the golf tourism holidays booked in the world today.
Announcing the event at a press conference in Istanbul today, IGTM Group Exhibition Director Mark Walsh said Turkey has the tourism infrastructure, hotels and golf courses to rival Europe’s best destinations.
“The Turkish tourism industry is one of the most successful and fastest growing in Europe with an impressive 13% increase in arrivals in 2010,” said Walsh. “The established golf resorts in Belek – including our six partner hotels – and those being built are among the best in the world, putting Turkey at the forefront of the European golf tourism industry.”
IGTM has been the premier golf travel event for 13 years, matching pre-qualified buyers with exhibitors based on their purchasing needs for a series of 20-minute, tailor-made appointments.
IGTM 2010 in Valencia, Spain, was the largest event to date with a 10% increase in stand sales, 8,600 pre-arranged appointments (600 more than in 2009) and a record 95% visitor satisfaction rate.
Walsh expects IGTM 2011 in Belek/Antalya to be even more successful with stand sales already ahead of where they were at the same time last year.
“IGTM 2011 will be bigger and better than ever,” Walsh continued. “The focus of IGTM is to do business and as well as the pre-scheduled appointments, there is an array of informal networking opportunities including an Official Welcome Reception provided by Turkey, IGTM Golf Tournament ending with the Gala Dinner incorporating the prestigious IAGTO Awards.”
IGTM works in partnership with IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), the global golf tourism association with a 1,500-strong membership base of golf tourism suppliers and buyers from more than 80 countries.
Ministry of Tourism and Culture Head of Publicity Department Cumhur Güven Taşbaşı said: “Turkey is delighted to be hosting IGTM 2011 in Belek and Antalya. IGTM is the most important annual event for the global golf travel industry and will bring the world’s leading golf tourism companies to Turkey, showcasing our country’s outstanding resorts and golf courses and rightfully positioning Belek and Antalya as a world-class golf travel destination.”
IGTM is owned by the world’s leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organises a portfolio of other travel industry events including World Travel Market, Arabian Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market.
In 2010, RE held more than 460 events in 36 countries bringing together more than seven million people from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.
IGTM www.igtm.co.uk