The Scottish Golf Tourism Development Strategy “Driving Forward
Together” is being delivered by a number of public and private partners, who
form the “Golf Tourism Development Group”. The group brings together Golf
Tourism Scotland, VisitScotland, EventScotland, the Scottish Golf Union,
Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, Scottish Enterprise, SDI, Highland &
Islands Enterprise and the PGA Scotland to deliver the Scottish Golf Tourism
Development Strategy “Driving Forward Together”. The overall goal is to foster
closer working relationships within the industry and realise the ambition that
“by 2020, Scotland will be the world’s leading golfing destination”.
The
strategy launch in September 2013 was attended by more than 170 Scottish Golf
Tourism Industry figures. Work on the strategy began in 2012, with a series of
workshops held in Aberdeenshire, East Lothian, Fife, Ayrshire, Perthshire and
the Highlands, designed to ensure that the industry had a say in setting the
strategies.
“Driving
Forward Together” is unique and innovative for many reasons:
1.
It
is the first time that a national golf tourism strategy has been developed by
the golf tourism industry and public sector working together to benefit
Scottish golf tourism businesses
2.
It
is unique in that it makes sustainability a key part of the strategy by
enhancing courses, reinforcing the quality of the Scottish golf product and
creating opportunities for new messages and audiences
3.
The
strategy has been developed to ensure that all involved work together towards
the common goal of realising Scotland’s potential as the Home of Golf
The
strategy has already delivered the following:
·
The
creation and launch of the “Scotland, the Home of Golf” toolkit
·
Improved
market information for clubs via the enhanced golf monitoring site, Scottish
Golf Intelligence
·
Launch
of a pilot Visitor Data Gathering project, so that clubs can more readily
access visitor feedback
·
Golf
Tourism Scotland’s three year business and action plan, which sets out a clear
and robust approach to guide and lead the industry
·
Three
New Regional Golf Development Groups have been established to increase
collaboration and improve the marketing of regional golf destinations
·
Three
Scottish Golf (SGU & SLGA) Club Development Officers have been appointed to
support clubs and help them to strengthen their offering – thus benefiting
their business
·
Eighty
Scottish golf clubs are now part of SGU & SLGA Business Planning Process
·
Ninety
one club representatives attended Management Development Programme (MDP)
·
Twelve
clubs have already benefited from SGU and Scottish Enterprise support with Tee
Time Booking and over 130 clubs are now using Tee Time Booking
·
Five
Regional Golf Tourism Seminars took place in November and December 2013,
attracting over 200 businesses
·
Thirty
clubs have already benefited from the support of Scottish Enterprise’s On The
Tee Visitor Experience Programme – support that will continue until at least
2015
·
A
Destination Golf Marketing Activity Plan is in place which has already resulted
in the following:
·
VisitScotland
2013/14 consumer golf campaign, which targets key markets in North America,
Sweden, Germany and UK & Ireland, has generated more than 40,000 responses
in its first two months
·
The
development of dedicated golf creative content, which supports wider
VisitScotland “Brilliant Moments” and “Meet the Scots” creative in key golf
markets
·
Improvements
to VisitScotland.com/golf and RyderCup2014.com have led to a significant
increase in website traffic – with 500,000 visits in 2013
·
The
Golf Tourism Development Group has already attended two industry events to
promote Scotland as the Home of Golf - IGTM November 2013 and PGA Merchandise
Show 2014. At the PGA show they also hosted a Scotland Golf networking golf day
supported by industry partners and SDI, which targeted Golf Tour Operators, PGA
Professionals and the golfing media
