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Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., welcomed 35 of the world’s top international golf tour operators to Killarney for Fáilte Ireland’s 2018 Golf Ireland Convention, a showcase of the country’s top-class golfing experiences on Tuesday. Also in photo at the Great Southern Hotel are from left, Martin Donnelly, Failte Ireland, Aine Mangan, IAGTO, Minister Brendan Griffin, Paul Mockler, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Commercial Development and Carlton Carugati, IAGTO. Photo: Don MacMonagle
MINISTER of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., today welcomed 35 of the world’s top international golf tour operators to Killarney for Fáilte Ireland’s 2018 Golf Ireland Convention, a showcase of the country’s top-class golfing experiences.
During their stay in the south-west, the visitors will attend The Rose Hotel in Tralee and play a round at Tralee Golf Club where they will see what the town and the famous course has to offer golfers.
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The major golfing trade event is taking place over the course of two days (Monday and Tuesday) at Dooks Golf Club and the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney. After, delegates will be brought on a tour of the area to experience some of the best courses, attractions and hospitality in the South West for four days, including in Tralee and Dingle.
The convention, organised in partnership with Tourism Ireland and IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), is a forum for key overseas golf operators to meet directly with more than 60 Irish golf industry members and to negotiate overseas business for 2018 and 2019.
Golf tourism is an extremely lucrative sector for Ireland with golfers being amongst the highest yielding visitors to Ireland.
Over 200,000 overseas visitors take part in golf during their visit to Ireland every year, contributing almost €270 million to the economy and driving over 1.7 million bed nights right across the country.
International buyers attending this year’s convention have been selected from core golf tourism markets, including Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and US, and represent some of the biggest producers of golf business as well as those with the most potential to grow golf tourism into Ireland.
During the convention, Irish suppliers will have the opportunity to sell the best of golf in Ireland to the key operators through familiarisation trips, a round of golf, workshops and networking sessions. In total, the 2018 Golf Ireland Convention will facilitate over 700 face-to-face meetings.
Opening the networking event at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney, Minister Brendan Griffin said: “Ireland is home to over 400 golf courses, including spectacular parkland courses, and has hosted some of the biggest and most prestigious golfing events in the world.
“Golf plays a significant role in Irish tourism and it is important that we do all we can to support the industry to reach key overseas markets, helping to boost visitor numbers across the country.”
