Fresh from the successful exhibition at IMEX America in Las Vegas last week, South African Tourism led a South Africa delegation attending the 2022 edition of the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), hosted at Roma Convention Centre La Nuvola, Italy, from October 17 to 20.

“We are using all global events and networking opportunities to accelerate tourism recovery and to boost job creation and contribute to our economy. Participation at such trade events together with all the networking opportunities and events afford us the opportunity to invite investors to our country and, of course, business delegates and leisure travellers too, and ultimately increase the number of arrivals to South Africa,” said Acting Chief Convention Bureau Officer, Zinhle Nzama.

IGTM is a community for golf travel professionals looking for highly focused and cost-effective ways to grow their business. Over 1 300 golf travel professionals attend IGTM annually.

“For us as a country, our participation at IGTM is informed by our strategy to continue to position South Africa as a golf tourism destination. South Africa offers the most unique golfing experiences. We have some of the finest and best-conditioned golf courses in the world. We are looking to attract more golfing enthusiasts to come and explore South Africa’s golf courses,” noted Nzama

According to the organisers, pre-scheduled meetings are the heart of IGTM, which provides golf destinations and the opportunity to meet leading golf travel agents. Nzama indicated that IGTM had a powerful hosted buyer programme. “Thus, our trade were guaranteed meetings with key buyers that had been strongly vetted by the organisers of IGTM.”

South African Tourism recruited ten South African golf products to exhibit at the show to signal South Africa’s strong ambitions to work with partners from across the world and to build on the interest in the country.

To reinforce the strategic intent of positioning South Africa as a golf tourism destination, last week South African Tourism participated at the BCX SuperSport Shootout, a uniquely South African golfing event that brings together business executives, sporting icons and government officials under one roof.