November 2024: Verdura Resort has cemented its position at the forefront of European golf after appointing experienced industry professional Blair Harvey as its new golf sales and marketing director.
Harvey took up his new position with the luxury Sicilian resort – named as ‘Italy’s Best Golf Hotel’ at the recent World Golf Awards – at the start of this month as part of a wider remit with Rocco Forte Hotels.
The Scot, an avid golfer and qualified PGA professional having started playing the game at the age of 12, brings with him a wealth of experience in the business and travel worlds having worked for some of the biggest names in golf in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. These include Trump Turnberry in Scotland, Prosports International in Qatar and, most recently, as director of golf sales and commercial at Rogers Hospitality/Heritage Resorts.
As well as expanding Verdura’s presence in new and existing markets, Harvey will also seek to develop new opportunities within the golf sector for other Rocco Forte properties.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to work with one of the world’s premier luxury golf resorts and the wider Rocco Forte Hotels brand.
“When it comes to golf destinations, they don’t come any better or more spectacular than Verdura, and I believe that my background in sales, commerce and business development across multiple sectors is ideally suited to the resort’s aim of expanding its presence across a range of different markets.”
Harvey’s appointment comes after another strong year for Verdura and follows in the wake of the resort bolstering the luxury experience it offers to golfers after undertaking a further investment of more than €1million in its award-winning golf facilities – including the upgrade of its golf academy.
Home of the European Tour’s Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, Verdura Resort is nestled in 230 hectares of stunning Mediterranean landscape on Sicily’s southern coast and features two 18-hole links-style championship golf courses – the West Shore Course and remodelled East Links Course – a nine-hole executive course also designed by acclaimed golf architect Kyle Phillips and outstanding practice facilities including Italy’s only European Tour-approved Performance Institute. The courses and facilities combined have established Verdura as one of the world’s elite golf and lifestyle destinations.
The resort offers a choice of 203 elegant rooms and suites as well as 20 new Rocco Forte private villas, and is famous for offering members and guests an unforgettable five-star golf experience in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. In addition to golf, guests can enjoy an extensive range of luxury sports and facilities including the award-winning Irene Forte Spa, as well as the opportunity to sample the very best in gastronomy, wine, history and culture.
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Information for journalists
- Press release written and distributed by Azalea; Press release written and distributed by Azalea
- High-resolution images of Verdura Resort may be downloaded for editorial purposes from Verdura Resort;
- For more information on Verdura Resort, contact: Luke Frary - 01730 711920 - luke@theazaleagroup.com;Isabella | Giglia - PR and Communications Manager, Sicily - igiglia@roccofortehotels.com
About Verdura Resort
Part of Rocco Forte Hotels and member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Verdura Resort overlooks the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean from the southern coast of Sicily. Immersed in a 230-hectare park, it has 203 elegant rooms and suites as well as 20 new Rocco Forte Private Villas, nestled on the hillside that gently slopes towards the resort’s private coast, which is over 1.8 km long. The resort's restaurants and bars celebrate Mediterranean cuisine using seasonal ingredients typical of the island, accompanied by an extensive wine list. The Verdura Spa is an exclusive refuge with a holistic approach to health and well-being: 4,000 m2 with four thalassotherapy pools, two saunas, a hammam and a wide range of personalised treatments and programmes. The resort also has a 4,000 m2 convention centre. On-site, there are championship golf courses, designed by Kyle Phillips and leading figures of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open in 2017 and 2018 (European Tour stage), making Verdura the golf destination par excellence in the Mediterranean. The sporting offer is further enriched with six tennis courts, a 60-metre infinity pool, a football pitch, an equipped gym offering a full programme of fitness and meditation activities, as well as jogging paths that wind through the estate's olive and citrus groves.
Rocco Forte Hotels
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a collection of 14 individual hotels, resorts, residences and villas. Rocco Forte Hotels. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas. Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de la Ville, Hotel de Russie and Rocco Forte House, Rome; Rocco Forte House, Milan; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Resort, Rocco Forte Private Villas and Villa Igiea, Sicily; Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels and Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg. Future openings: The Carlton, Milan and Costa Smeralda, Sardinia in 2025; Palazzo Sirignano, Naples in 2027.