The Czech Republic declared ‘Undiscovered Golf Destination of 2007’
23 November 2006
November 23, 2006, saw the Czech Republic declared ‘Undiscovered Golf Destination
of the Year’ at the 7th IAGTO Awards held during the International Golf Travel Market
in Marbella, Spain. This success was achieved on the back of last year’s nomination
for the award and on the occasion of only the county’s second time at this trade
fair, a feat no other country has ever achieved.
The Czech Republic is experiencing an extraordinary golf boom, underlined by the
fact that only three 18-hole courses existed in 1990 compared to 69 in 2006. The
Czech Republic was up against 17 other candidates for the title of ‘Undiscovered
Golf Destination of the Year’ (Alabama, Argentina, The Azores (Portugal), Bintan
Island (Indonesia), Colorado, Costa Rica, Cyprus, The Dominican Republic, Finland,
Girona (Spain), Hainan Province (China), Hua Hin (Thailand), Idaho, Northern California,
North Michigan, Oregon and Prince Edward Island. Despite the tough competition,
the Czech Republic carried off the award which represents one of the greatest achievements
for the country in the field of golf tourism in 2006. ‘This is the result of a joint
effort by CzechTourism and the Czech Golf Travel Association to promote Czech golf
on an international level. Winning the award brings with it a certain feel-good
factor, as well as a number of obligations and the necessity to respond to international
interest on a national level. Now the Czech Republic is perceived and viewed as
a golf destination which means business; this creates a necessity to focus on its
development in this respect. CzechTourism will do everything it can to support golf
companies and organisations and thus strengthen Czech golf’s position abroad,’
said the head of CzechTourism, Rostislav Vondruška. This of course means focusing
on foreign clients and on promoting golf tourism. The Czech Republic invites all
golf tourists to come and discover an undiscovered destination.
The ‘Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year’ award
is given at the annual IAGTO Awards by a panel of 60 golf journalists from 15 countries
from The Golf Travel Writers Association. ‘I am very happy with this award,’
said Mrs Marie Jehlicková, president of the Czech Golf Travel Association, and added:
‘The Czech Republic is without doubt a rapidly developing golf destination, but there
is still a lot of work to do if we are to convince journalists and international
tour operators that the Czech Republic is a place where people can come to play
golf. We have taken the first steps towards this, and that is the most important
thing.’ The marketing activities of the CzechTourism agency and the Czech
Golf Travel Association to promote golf tourism will continue in 2007. The emphasis
should be on press and fam trips, participation in golf shows and more intense PR
activities.
The aim of the annual IAGTO Awards is to stimulate
organisations in the private and public sectors to work closely together to develop
and promote new and existing golf destinations, and make them accessible to as great
a number of golfers as possible. ‘Every year a golf holiday for the 50 million golfers
around the world is the highlight of their golfing year, and the IAGTO Awards are
a way of rewarding a number of extraordinary contributions to golf tourism around
the world,’ said Peter Walton, president of the IAGTO. ‘We definitely do not
have a shortage of candidates worthy of the awards. Many individuals, companies,
organisations and destinations manage to give the golf tourist a unique golf experience,
which should be the goal of all those involved in the golf tourism industry,’
added Walton.
The IAGTO Awards held at the same time as the International Golf Travel Market,
organised by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) is the
number one annual event for the golf tourism industry. The 9th International Golf
Travel Market (20–23 November 2006) was the most successful in its history as far
as the number of visiting buyers was concerned – in total 300 specialist golf tour
operators from around the world attended and had the chance to speak with 392 exhibitors
from 42 different countries.
ENDS
23rd November 2006
Contacts
Mgr. Helena Kopecká
Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, PR Dept
Tel: +420 221 580 485
Email: kopecka@czechtourism.cz
Websites: www.CzechTourism.com
www.cgta.cz
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