A major golf tourism conference heading to Inverness next year will provide an unprecedented showcase for the city and the Highlands.
Internationally-renowned courses, as well as leading business and tourism figures, have welcomed the news that the Highland capital will host Scottish Golf Tourism Week from March 19-21 2024.
The event, being held in partnership with The Press and Journal, will be held at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness.
Created with VisitScotland, it will bring together Scottish suppliers and tour operators from around the world, providing an ideal opportunity to add to the area’s reputation as a leading golfing destination.
Area has some of the world’s best golf courses
Colin Marr, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said: “Inverness and the Highlands have many of the world’s best golf courses.
“Combined with our amazing scenery and great tourism businesses, they make us an irresistible location for golf tourism.
“Scottish Golf Tourism Week is a fantastic opportunity to show the whole golf world what we have to offer, and a great opportunity for our businesses to capture more of this important market.”
Tony Story, CEO at the Kingsmills Hotel Group, is thrilled the venue will play a key role in the event.
He said: “The opportunity it presents will be massive, not just for the city of Inverness but for everyone who has an interest in golf tourism throughout the Highlands and Islands.
“We should all recognise the significance of the arrival of so many significant golf buyers from throughout the world and we should all do our very best to ensure this is the best golf tourism week ever.”
Yvonne Crook, chair of Highland Tourism Community Interest Company, says golf is a key pillar of establishing the Highlands as a premium environmental brand.
She believes with the backing of major businesses the event can leave a positive legacy for the Highlands.
“It is fantastic news that the Press and Journal is bringing Scottish Golf Tourism Week to the Highlands and we welcome the newspaper’s foresight, as well as that of one of our members, the Kingsmills Hotel.
Prestigious event for the city
“This gives us an exciting opportunity to work with other premium sectors, including whisky, to showcase the Highlands as a premium destination with the environment at its heart.”
Victoria Park, sales manager for the AC Inverness hotel, is also delighted at the prestigious event coming to the city.
She said: “This is an excellent event bringing national and international golf tour operators together with suppliers who will showcase the region at its finest.
“The return on investment of this annual golf tradeshow confirms the value of the golf industry to our area and our individual businesses.’
The news has also won the backing of two of the Highlands’ major golf clubs.
Stuart McColm, general manager of Cabot Highlands, which has staged the Scottish Open on four occasions, said: “This is exciting news and the Press and Journal is to be congratulated in bringing such a key golfing event to the Highlands.
“This shows great vision and an understanding of how important golf is to the region.
“I’m sure it will be a significant success and we at Cabot Highlands are already looking forward to it.”
Royal Dornoch Golf Club general manager Neil Hampton added: “As a long-time champion of golf and golf tourism in the Highlands, we are delighted with the news that Scottish Golf Tourism Week is bound for Inverness next year with backing from the Press and Journal.
Conference is an ‘invaluable shop window’
“This will offer an invaluable shop window for clubs throughout the region, and indeed Scotland, to showcase the fantastic array of quality golf courses we have to offer visitors from home and abroad.
“Golf is crucial to the economic wellbeing of the area, with visitors lured to our world-famous links from around the world.
“Scottish Golf Tourism Week will be the perfect platform to highlight our many Highland clubs, which range from welcoming nine-hole community assets to classic courses which are ranked among the world’s very best.”
Royal Dornoch’s Championship Course recently hosted the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano Trophy events, which featured the best of women’s amateur golfers in Great Britain Ireland and Europe.
With Tain Golf Club, it will stage the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championships in August.
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