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Top honours for Dubai’s golfing industry

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The eighth hole at the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club is one of Dubai’s many stunning golf courses

FOR the third time in a decade, Dubai walked away with the Golfing Destination of the Year Award for Africa, Gulf States and the Indian Ocean. The prestigious award was received by Hamad Bin Mejren, executive director – Business Tourism at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) at a gala dinner in the Algarve, Portugal.

The award formed the culminating moment of DTCM’s highly successful participation in the 2012 International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), which took place from November 12 to 15, 2012. DTCM’s exhibit, which brought together the top golf clubs in the Emirate to showcase the exceptional diversity Dubai has to offer as a golfing destination, was extremely well received and garnered high praise from across the broad spectrum of the world’s international golfing stakeholders.

Held on the concluding day of IGTM and organised by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) – the global trade body for the golf tourism industry – the event is one of the most important highlights of the year for the world’s vast audience of fifty million golfers.

On this occasion, the director general of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Khalid bin Sulayem said, “As an integral part of tourism, sport plays a great promotional role functioning as one of the most important tourism attraction factors. As such the Department has since its inception been greatly interested in sporting issues and remains committed to its continued support of the sporting community.”

He noted that this award is a testament to the real efforts exerted by the UAE’s golf courses and clubs in order to provide an exceptional experience to their guests, adding that the infrastructure of golf tourism in has Dubai witnessed exceptional growth development during the past few years, which has both enhanced the competitive elements and added to the distinctive nature of Dubai as tourist destination.

Mejran also commented, “The DTCM is proud to receive the award for Dubai, which has clinched the best golf destination award for the third time in a decade. This highlights the genuinely successful golf industry in Dubai. In a very short period of time the city, technically a novice in golfing, has come at par with cities with a much older reputation as golfing destinations. There are several more projects in the pipeline to maintain, and further improve the playing facilities in the region, with the vision of providing an even richer, more fulfilling, and truly luxurious international golfing experience.”

Out of IAGTO’s approximate 470 core specialist golf tour operators based in 59 countries across the world, 455 voted for Dubai as the best golfing destination for the region which includes Africa, the Gulf States and the Indian Ocean.

The city had previously won the award in 2009, having also received the Emerging Golf Destination of the Year award in 2002.

The UAE has been welcoming golfers since 1988 when the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club, often referred to as The Desert Miracle, became the first grass course to open in the region. In the 24 years that has followed Dubai has introduced a host of world class golf courses, with the Emirates Golf Club set to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year and the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club its 20th.

Dubai has also become a major destination on the regional and international golf tour circuit, welcoming the world’s very best players to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club, in addition to the prestigious DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the season finale of the European Tour which is held on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Established in 1997, IAGTO is the global trade organisation for the golf tourism industry with its operators selling over 85 per cent of all golf holiday packages worldwide with an estimated turnover of more than €1 billion per year. IAGTO is focussed on maintaining and raising standards throughout the industry and helps destinations position themselves not only to attract more business but to deliver the best possible experience to the visiting golf traveller. Over the past decade IAGTO has produced Golf Tourism Strategies for more than 25 countries and regions and provides consultation and advice to many more on a continual basis.

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