DESTINATIONS GOLF & SPORTS TOURISM |GOLF HOLIDAYS


expert ASK THE


“We’re seeing more avid golfers enjoy a holiday in the winter months, heading to popular winter-sun destinations such as Gran Canaria. The Maspalomas Golf


Resort is great for beginners, with its wide fairways and generous handicap limit of 34. For more experienced players, we recommend the Pestana Alto course in the Algarve, which plays host to the Portugal Masters. This course has a handicap limit of 24, meaning everyone teeing up is of a decent standard and there’s a steady flow to the game. We’d recommend agents encourage customers


to book a package to make it hassle-free – our golf holidays include specialist hotels and up to 22kg of golf carriage.” Craig Davidson,


general manager for trade sales, Jet2holidays


questions,” says William Thomas, sales executive at Tee the World. “Do they want to be on a golf resort with multiple courses or do they want to be based in a town where they can travel around to different courses? Are the golfers taking their own clubs with them or would they prefer to hire them locally? Do they need golf buggies or are they happy to walk around? “It’s also worth asking about their golf handicap, as most courses will want to know that the golfer has a basic understanding of the game,” he adds.


WIDEN THE NET Just as important as asking the right questions, of course, is knowing who to target. Don’t limit it to a certain demographic, advises Sean Moriarty, chief executive of Quinta do Lago golf resort in the Algarve. “One of the key myths is that golf holidays are only


for groups of men over the age of 40,” he says. “These days it’s considerably more diverse, and we’re seeing more women, couples, families and groups of younger people in their 20s and 30s.”


APPEAL TO NON-GOLFERS It’s not all about the golf, of course. “It’s important to appeal to everyone who will be travelling, not just the golfers,” says Tobias Neumann, director of marketing at Majorca-based Zafiro Hotels. “Highlight the other activities on offer in the destination. In Majorca, for example, we have a number


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of cycling, running and walking routes. That makes it perfect for families, friends and couples who might be looking for an active break beyond just the golf.” Many golf resorts also offer comprehensive spa packages and other on-site activities. Tee the


World points to the Amendoeira Golf Resort in the Algarve for tennis courts, football pitches and pools as well as a floodlit golf course for evening games. Quinta do Lago, meanwhile, offers tennis, sailing, windsurfing, a jogging track and more alongside its three golf courses, while La Manga Club in Spain has everything from football and cricket to horse-riding and hiking, leaving no excuse for non-golfers to miss out.


HIGHLIGHT THE EASE To really seal the deal, emphasise the ease of booking a golf package where everything is included, advises Le Touquet’s Debruyne. “Sometimes there’s a misconception among clients that booking a golf holiday will be complicated because there are so many elements to confirm, such as tee times, deposits, hotels and transport,” he says. “But this is where the travel agent earns their money. Tour operators can book the whole package and agents can help take away what might be perceived by the client as ‘a lot of hassle’.” Get that right and you might just bag yourself a lifelong customer who’ll come back again and again – and tell all their friends about it too.


TW BOOK IT


Tee the World offers five nights at the four-star Amendoeira Golf Resort, Portugal, from £995, including accommodation in a three-bedroom superior villa (based on six sharing) with daily breakfast, unlimited golf on two courses, buggies, flights and transfers. teetheworld.co.uk


Jet2holidays offers a week at the four-star, adult-only Viva Golf in Majorca from £579 per person, based on two sharing on a bed-and-breakfast basis, including a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers, departing March 7, 2021. jet2holidays.com


travelweekly.co.uk


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A Zafiro Hotels course, Spain; Arabella Golf Son Muntaner, Majorca; Pula Golf Resort, Majorca PREVIOUS PAGE: The Teeth of the Dog hole at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic PICTURES: Oscar Quetglas; José Hernández


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