North East England is a magical region for golf and aiming to claim a greater share of the UK’s inbound golf tourism market, Golf Tourism England (GTE) is seeking to promote this area as an alternative to the rising green fees costs of Ireland and Scotland.
Speaking at the sixth annual Golf Tourism England Convention, held at Matfen Hall Country Hotel, Spa and Golf Estate in Northumberland earlier this month, chief executive Andrew Cooke championed the region’s golf venues and accommodation providers to international and domestic golf tour operators.
“The golf tourism industry is looking for credible and affordable alternatives for tourists wishing to play the best golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland. Domestic golfers are now being priced out by rising green fee prices fuelled by demand from overseas, principally from the US market, and it’s time that England stepped forward to assert itself and compete more aggressively with Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
“In North East England, you can play three GB & I Top-100 links courses, stay in five-star golf resorts and sporting estates, experience the vibrant cities of Newcastle and Durham and explore two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s time that North East England stepped out of Scotland’s shadow,” said Cooke.
The UK golf tourism market is poised for sustained growth, with research showing that by 2035 inbound golf tourism will be worth more than £5.2 billion to the economy.
The convention was attended by travel bookers specialising in UK and International markets, including representatives from Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and the USA, as well as regional hospitality businesses, golf venues and visitor attractions.
6th GTE Convention Headlines £50m investment into the hotel, golf course and clubhouse at five-star Matfen Hall Country Hotel, Spa and Golf Estate, Northumberland. Investment in a new golf tourism strategy and plan by Tees Valley Combined Authority, to increase future domestic and international golf tourism to Hartlepool, Cleveland, Redcar, Stockton and Darlington. Multi-million-pound golf clubhouse and driving range renovations at Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa, County Durham, including two-storey Top-Tracer driving range, sports bar, simulator suites and bowling lanes. Revealed: Northumberland’s first home-grown single malt whisky, from Ad Gefrin distillery and Anglo-Saxon heritage museum – reviving a 200-year-old dormant Whisky tradition – and now maturing in cask. A group of selected tour operators spent several days in Northumberland before the convention, playing rounds at The Northumberland Golf Club, Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club, Goswick Links, visiting Alnwick Castle and Garden and staying at the newly opened Bailiffgate Hotel, Alnwick.
Andrew Hastie, owner and managing director of Authentic Golf, a golf travel agency serving the Dutch market, said: “My impressions of Northumberland are fantastic. It’s a beautiful area with some wonderfully interesting golf courses.”
Stuart Imeson, co-owner and course manager at Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club, said: “The whole Northumberland coastline, from Goswick to Bamburgh, down to Alnmouth and Foxton Hall, has some great golf tours to put together and it was a pleasure to welcome delegates from the Golf Tourism England convention to experience our 128-year-old links course.”
The GTE convention was sponsored by Discover South Carolina (Headline Sponsor), Destination North East England (Host Sponsor), Visit Tees Valley (Co-Host Sponsor), and Visit Morocco (Guest Destination Sponsor).
Alex MacKenzie, Travel Trade Manager at Destination North East England, said: “With demand for golf trips both domestically and internationally at an all-time high, the North East is well placed to cater for this demand. Our location, on the doorstep of Scotland, the Home of Golf, means groups looking for excellent facilities whilst still being affordable will find what they need here.
“It has been fantastic working with Golf Tourism England to bring their convention to Matfen Hall, one of our biggest golfing assets, and the connections we have made at the event will allow us to grow in this market.”
For more about Golf Tourism England, please visit: https://www.golftourismengland.com/.
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