Golf tourism goes outside traditional strongholds for growth

Golf now contributes about $20 billion annually…56 million people play golf worldwide….Among them about 5 to 10 percent travel worldwide with the sole purpose of playing golf.

Developing countries have…recognized that golf tourists tend to outspend average tourists and thus have invested heavily…operators in Africa posted a 20 per cent increase in sales on average.

Emerging golf destinations such as Malaysia, Egypt, Mexico and China are offering increasing competition to the traditional golf markets…South Africa, Turkey and Dubai are also expected to join in the list of most popular destinations for golf tourists according to a KPMG Golf Advisory.