IAGTO
IAGTO was set up in 1997 as a representative body for a number of the world's leading golf tour operators.* By the year 2000 IAGTO was well established as the global trade association of the golf tourism industry, and by 2007 it had over 900 member companies in 72 countries.
The dynamic growth of this organisation is testament to the unrivalled importance of this €12 billion industry within the global arena of sports travel.
IGTM
In its first year, IAGTO established the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) which has become the industry's annual trade show, now owned and operated by Reed Exhibition Companies, a world leader in travel and golf exhibitions. IGTM attracts over 1000 delegates each December as it moves around the world in its roving tour of emerging and established golf destinations.
Golf Tourism Surveys
For such an important niche market, the lack of appliable tourism data was immediately apparent, which led IAGTO in 1998 to assist Sports Marketing Surveys carry out a wide-ranging golf tourism survey. In 2000, IAGTO purchased the rights to the Millennium European Golf Tourism Survey. IAGTO monitors golf tourism surveys from around the world and brings them to the attention of its members. IAGTO's own Global Golf Tourism Survey will enable IAGTO members to be the first to learn about developing trends and preferences of golf travellers around the world.
IGTWA
Aware that the majority of golfers actively seek the delights and challenges of golf travel, the world's leisure and golfing publications have long understood both the aspirational and practical attraction of golf travel features. For decades, serious golf writers have enjoyed the accreditation of recognised golf writer associations. In 2000 IAGTO remedied the situation for golf travel writers by establishing the International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) - the only global association of its kind for specialist golf travel journalists.
IAGTO Awards
Again in 2000, IAGTO sought to reward the wonderful achievements of many undiscovered, emerging and established golf destinations by launching the IAGTO Golf Travel Awards. The success of the golf travel industry will forever be dependent on the overall popularity of the game, and the highlights of the first six Awards Ceremonies were the presentations of IAGTO Honorary Awards to Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Nick Faldo. The Awards are produced in association with Hertz which is committed to delivering the best possible car rental service for golf travellers.
IAGTO Guides
One of IAGTO's most important roles is to raise and maintain standards throughout the golf travel industry. In 2001 IAGTO published the first in a series of IAGTO Guides designed as a benchmark for standards within the golf tourism industry. The IAGTO Guide to improving Speed of Play is a practical guide for golf courses as is the IAGTO Golf Course Check List. In 2000 IAGTO published the first official annual Golf Tourism Directory for the industry, which in 2007 exceeds 225 pages of essential information for companies in the golf tourism business.
IAGTO provides a focus for the golf tourism industry, and will continue into the 21st Century to help further develop a niche market that provides endless enjoyment to millions of golfers every year in all corners of the globe.