The Scottish Golf Tourism industry held its annual awards ceremony last week at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club just outside Edinburgh.
The awards ceremony, which was hosted by comedian Andy Cameron, brought together an impressive array of industry representatives from the Scottish Golf Tourism industry culminating in a celebration of all that remains positive about Scottish Golf Tourism.
The first awards dinner was held in 2003. Within three years the event has become a ‘must be at’ event in the golf calendar and has topped off a most progressive year for the award organisers Golf Tourism Scotland.
Golf Tourism Scotland was formally set up in June of last year and in less than eighteen months has attracted full membership from almost 200 hundred private sector businesses.
Chairman Gary Wilkinson commented, “Yet again in 2006, Scotland’s golf tourism industry has surpassed itself with operators continuing to exceed the expectations of the visitors to the country. The challenges facing golf are widespread and the need to be innovative yet structured, creative yet disciplined, profitable yet affordable face us all. More than ever before the need to have a cohesive partnership between the public and the private sectors is of paramount importance and the need for a golf tourism structure never more necessary. Golf Tourism Scotland will continue to seek ever closer links with all involved to make sure that 2007 offers greater success.”
The awards themselves are voted on by the golf tourism industry themselves. The full list is as follows:
- Golf Course of the Year: Kingsbarns Links
- Resort Hotel of the Year: Fairmont St Andrews
- Small Hotel of the Year: The Claymore House Hotel in Nairn
- Country House Hotel of the Year: Greywalls Hotel, Gullane
- Large Hotel of the Year: Macdonald Marine Hotel in North Berwick
- Secretariat of the Year: North Berwick Golf Club
- Caddiemaster Award: Jim Cumming at Royal Dornoch
- Golf Tour Operator of the Year: Perry Golf
- Young Industry Person of the Year: Lora McCluskey
Golf Tourism Scotland www.golftourismscotland.com