Gran Canaria will host the largest international congress of golf tour operators

 

A delegation from Gran Canaria Tourism, led by the councilor of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, participated this Tuesday, May 14, in the opening ceremony of the European Congress of Golf Tour Operators – IAGTO European Convention and which is hosting these days the city of Malaga. At the event, the president and founder of the International Golf Tour Association, IAGTO, Peter Walton, accompanied by the advisor and manager of Tourism of Gran Canaria, Pablo Llinares, announced that the Gran Canaria island will host the edition of 2025, which will take place in May 2025 with the participation of more than 800 specialized golf tour operators from 69 countries.

 

 

“This is one of the most important events, linked to tourism and golf, in the world and represents a strategic opportunity for our destination, since we will have the main operators and a significant part of the goal market in Europe practically exclusively. , with which we will be able to articulate new initiatives and promote awareness of our offer in the continental market,” said counselor Carlos Álamo. He explained that currently 2,5% of the total tourist visitors to Gran Canaria claim to have the practice of Golf as the main interest of their trip and stay on the island, or indicate that it will be an important part of their presence on the Island. 

 

The Gran Canaria Tourism delegation was attended by the managing director, Pablo Llinares, who made a presentation of the Gran Canaria destination and its offer linked to golf during the opening ceremony before an audience of 800 golf tour operators. In it, the island location for the 2025 edition was announced and it received a warm reception. The Gran Canaria Golf entity also participates in this event with an intense agenda of meetings with three days of work. Pino León Boissier, head of the Tourism Promotion section of Gran Canaria Tourism, also attends. 

 

With the presence of some 100.000 clients a year, linked to the practice of this sport, the island invoices 161 million euros of an annual total of 5.459 million euros. According to the Tourism Minister, this is a client who spends more and stays on the island longer than the rest. The average expense of the generic customer in Gran Canaria is 1.461 euros, according to the 2023 report. Meanwhile, the golf customer has an average expense of 1.708 euros. The average stay of this client in 2023 was 11,2 days, while the rest are 10,1 days. Furthermore, it is worth noting that 65% of Golf customers are repeat customers in Gran Canaria. 35% are new clients.

 

Carlos Álamo recalled at the event that this is not the first time that the island has hosted a large-scale international event around the golf tourism product. IAGTO's relationship with Gran Canaria began more than 20 years ago, hosting one of its events in 2005 (IGTM), marking a before and after for Gran Canaria as a golf destination and its positioning on the international scene. 

 

Subsequently, in 2012 the 'Mid Year Convention' was held in Gran Canaria, once again focusing on the island and product specialization. The work and continuous improvement of Gran Canaria together with its golf facilities grants recognition by the IAGTO community to Gran Canaria as Golf Destination of the Year in 2013, being one of the most outstanding awards in the tourism promotion of golf. 

 

Over the years, notable activities have been carried out, such as destination reconnaissance trips for both operators and journalists. As well as the first destination recognition trip for TTOO, with all participants being women, with the aim of showing the offer in a more expanded way and with highly demanded services in this segment. Taking into account the importance and weight that women have in making decisions about the destinations to travel to, as well as the increase in getaways for groups of women to practice this sport. On the other hand, in 2021, Gran Canaria received recognition as an Outstanding Service 2021 destination (along with others) for its work of attention and dedication to tourists and tour operators during the pandemic. 

 

In 2023 IAGTO begins a new stage and creates the IAGTO European Convention event. This event, considered the most productive and profitable professional golf tourism event in Europe, brings together around 750 delegates, open to IAGTO member suppliers, golf destinations and service providers, mostly from Europe but also Asia, America and Africa. At the 2023 event, 50% of the attending buyers belonged to the 22% of the main producers in their respective markets, having a real impact on the promotion of the destination.

 

 

The IAGTO European Convention is Europe's most profitable and productive golf tourism trade event and will attract around 800 delegates in 2024. IEC is open to IAGTO member suppliers, golf destinations and service providers from across Europe, Africa and the Gulf States. Buyer delegates attend from golf travel source markets around the world, all selling European golf destinations and are fully accredited members of IAGTO. In 2023, 50% of attending buyers belonged to the top 22% of producers in their respective markets.

 

While its primary objective has always been to develop services and activities to directly benefit its growing membership, IAGTO now has a much broader mandate to maintain and raise standards across the industry and help destinations position themselves to not only attract more business but also to offer the best possible experience to the visiting golf traveler.