ABSTRACT
It is estimated that there are over 60 million golfers worldwide. Almost 44 percent of this market is located in the United States, 25 percent in Japan, and 12 percent in Europe. These golfers play on over 30,000 golf courses of which 16,000 are situated in the United States. In the past fifteen years the popularity of golf has grown enormously and the influx of foreign visitors to international destinations has grown with it. The value of golf tourism grew by 8 percent in 19981999 alone and is currently worth an estimated $10 billion annually (not including earnings in the Far East). Golf therefore represents the largest sports-related travel market. This market is served by its own trade association, the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). IAGTO’s mission is “to represent the interests of its members and the global golf tourism industry; to create business opportunities for operators and industry partners; to generate and improve access to valuable market information; to raise awareness of its members’ golf tourism products and services; to promote the implementation of best practices in the golf tourism industry and to further the development of golf travel worldwide” (IAGTO, 2002).
