05 July 2012
Recent research shows that the yield from an overseas golf tourist is three times the value of the average tourist to Ireland and with 155,000 overseas tourists having played golf while in Ireland in 2010, this amounts to a total spend of €204 million proving that golf is an important part of Ireland’s tourism offering.
To generate as much spin off business as possible we have been working with golf providers, and their accommodation partners, to run a promotional campaign centred on the Irish Open.
This campaign included a 12 page feature, which was included in the Irish independent in April, highlighting the potential and convenience of using Donegal as a base for golf and accommodation during the event.
Local golf and accommodation providers were also invited to take space on the Discover Ireland stand at the event which was visited by thousands of golf enthusiasts.
A number of top international golfing journalists stayed in Donegal last weekend for familiarisation trips, sampling the local golf offerings at Rosapenna Golf Club, County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point and Donegal Golf Club.
Media outlets represented included:
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Golf Digest US
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The Golf Channel
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Golf Weekly in the UK and
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Steve Habel from cybergolf.com (which attracts over 3.75 million hits a month)
With the Irish Open now over, plans are already underway for the annual Media Masters golf event which will be held in the North West this September on courses at Castle Dargan, Rosses Point and Murvagh Golf Club - Up to 30 top golfing media will attend.
Speaking about the importance of golf to tourism in the North West, Martina Bromley Head of Operations for Fáilte Ireland in the North West said –
“Fáilte Ireland and the local tourism industry have been working to raise the profile of golf in the region and it is paying dividends. Only last year the North West was awarded the “European Golf Destination of The Year” by the International Tour Operators and International Golf Media and ten courses in the region featured in Golf Digest’s list of “Top 100 golf courses in the world” making it an ideal location in which to showcase Irish golf.”
“Golf is a superb product here in the North West with the potential to add real tourism business to the region – the Irish Open coming north has been great news for County Antrim and Northern Ireland in general, but it is the impact on Donegal that we are focussed on and ensuring that we use this as the perfect platform to sell all that we have to offer.”