TUI, Europe’s largest tour operator, has partnered with GolfSwitch, Inc. and Golfhub to make real-time, online golf reservations available to TUI customers and travel agents worldwide.
TUI will make golf its first activity available in real-time, by utilizing GolfSwitch’s network and proprietary technology, which are electronically linked to golf course facilities throughout Europe.
TUI has initially rolled-out the technology for their source markets: Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium – and will expand shortly to the entire TUI organization.
The partnership has put real-time golf reservations at the TUI workstations of over 30,000 travel agents and 3,594 travel shops as a specially integrated interface within the TUI operating system. Through GolfSwitch technology, agents can conveniently and cost-effectively book golf around-the-clock, while streamlining a normally time-consuming and labour-intensive process.
The TUI program is initially limited to select Spanish courses, with plans to add several key golf destination countries to its roster soon.
In the near-term, TUI will expand its real-time booking inventory, adding must-play courses throughout Europe, and catering to both local and destination clients. The UK and Ireland are obviously target markets as they are home to almost half of the golf courses in Europe and on every golfer’s must play list.
GolfSwitch was founded in Arizona in 1998 by a team of golf, travel, and technology experts. Their vision was to create a global golf network, without software conflicts, that would increase tee times sales for golf courses while enabling profitable relationships between golf courses and resorts and buyers and sellers of tee times and golf vacations.
Golfhub, Europe’s online golf community is currently active in Ireland, Scotland and Spain with countries like Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany coming online soon.
TUI www.tui-group.com
Golfswitch www.golfswitch.com
Golfhub www.golfhub.eu