One in every four rounds of golf in Abu Dhabi is now played by an international traveller, according to new data released by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).
New data shows the UAE has achieved a meteoric rise from ninth to fourth in its annual list of the world’s emerging golfing hotspots, following continued investment into attracting overseas visitors such as the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi)-backed Golf in Abu Dhabi Initiative.
Overseas rounds for Q1 on Abu Dhabi’s three championship-ready courses increased 19 per cent on the first three months of 2013 to total 10,948 with increasing demand from Germany, the UK, South Korea, China and India. The total number of rounds played in the UAE capital in Q1 this year inched up 4 per cent to 43,046.
Details of Abu Dhabi’s upward golf swing came at the inaugural HSBC Golf Business Forum, the leading B2B golf conference for Europe, the Middle East and Asia, which sees more than 200 industry professional convene at the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa.
“We are on an upward trajectory with golf,” added Al Shaikh. “We now have over 400 operators worldwide selling our golf packages to our emirate and are highly encouraged by the recent naming of Abu Dhabi by the UK’s prestigious Golf Today magazine as “the runaway destination of choice.”
“Our industry partners say our increasing appeal owes as much to our much improved ‘Beyond The Fairways’ offering as it does to our excellent courses and facilities. Our expanding list of attractions and tours combined with golf, have powerful appeal we are looking to further through increased trade engagement across a number of key and emerging markets.”
