Following a visit by IAGTO's Chief Executive to Japan last year, the Commission for Tourism, Hiroshi Mizohata, issued the following statement this week:

"Japan is a tremendous country for golf and this is why the Japan Tourism Agency is eager for people from around the world to come and play golf here. There are over 2400 golf courses in Japan and you can play golf throughout the year, from Tokyo and the mainland to Hokkaido in the north and Okinawa in the south. Why not come and experience the real Japan, our culture, hospitality and wonderful landscapes, by visiting some of our great golf courses where ‘the visitor is King!’.

Whilst the enormous variety of golf in Japan is truly established, as a golf holiday destination we are relatively unknown, which is why Japan exhibited at the IGTM in 2010 and 2011 to showcase Japan to the world’s leading golf tour operators. Furthermore, in August last year here in Tokyo IAGTO’s chief executive and I exchanged information and ideas regarding the development of golf tourism to Japan, which was a truly valuable experience.

We are trying to establish Japan as a tourism destination and I feel that Golf Tourism has great potential to help us achieve that goal. Therefore, I hope that all golfers will soon think about travelling to Japan where playing golf will be your gateway to our land of ‘endless discovery’.  To all IAGTO operators, I invite you all to promote Japan as a golf destination, and thank you for your support!"

Hiroshi Mizohata
Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

After years of planning, IAGTO's photo library was launched in 2010 and now carries more than 6200 high resolution photographs from 615 different golf resorts, golf courses, hotels and tourist boards. It is believed to be the world's largest golf tourism photo library and it is accessible, free of charger, to all of IAGTO's golf tour operator members.

There is no doubt that great golf course images are an essential aid to any golf destination, however well established it may be, whis is why IAGTO is also home to some of the world's best professional golf course photographers.

Atout France and the French Golf Federation (ffgolf) convented a meeting in Paris on 12 January to discuss the value of golf tourism to France and how to grow this sector. "La valeur ajoutée du tourisme dans le modèle économique des golfs" was opened by Philippe Maud'hui, Directeur Ingénierie et Développement de Atout France and Jean-Lou Charon, membre du Comité directeur de la ffgolf.

In 2011 IAGTO was commissioned by Atout France & ffgolf to carry out a Golf Tourism Survey amongst golf courses in France and golf tour operators selling France. The findings of this survey were presented by IAGTO's chief executive, Peter Walton to the 100 delegates attending from the French golf tourism industry, Atout France and ffgolf. France is a collection of unique golf destinations from north to south and west to east, each presenting a different experience to the visiting golf traveller.

The announcement in May that France is to host the 2018 Ryder Cup gave further momentum to the country's golf tourism industry, particularly as this survey showed that there was sufficient capacity to double the existing golf tourism business. It was clear from the meeting that there is now a great desire and enthusiasm for both public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness of the great variety of golf destinations on offer to golfers from Europe and further afield, and to generate sustainable growth of this high value, low impact tourism market.

As IAGTO enters its 15th year, its membership continues to rise. Despite a turbulent decade throughout the tourism industry, IAGTO's membership has grown every year since its foundation in 1997. The landmark of 1800 members in 90 countries was passed late last year and this currently includes more than 420 golf tour operators in 59 countries.

IAGTO Chief Executive, Peter Walton, said "We expect membership to continue to increase in 2012 particularly amongst golf destinations and golf tour operators in the Asia Pacific region. We now have an office in China and representatives in Korea and Japan as well as SE Asia which has helped us tailor our global benefits and activities to the needs of individual destinations and markets.

"Despite the challenging economic times that continue unabated, IAGTO suppliers have been consistently creative in putting together great added value offers for IAGTO golf tour operators. The ease with which this interaction between buyers and suppliers now takes place and the relationships which this has helped to forge are I think two of the fundamental benefits of the IAGTO global network which goes some way to explain its continued expansion."

150 golf tour operators signed up for the Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) within weeks of the event being announced. The AGTC will take place from 22-25 April 2012 at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur. All 150 operators from 35 countries are IAGTO members and sell Asian golf destinations, and the capacity of the event has now been increased to take a further 20 operators mainly from Asian markets.

The tour operators will meet with an equal number of golf resorts, golf clubs, hotels, ground handlers and tourist boards from across the Asia Pacific region. Already 50 suppliers have signed up to participate in the event and IAGTO is now taking enquiries for the remaining 100 places. Full details are available from www.iagto.com/AGTC

The 4th IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention will be taking place on the Mississippi's Gulf Coast from 6-9 June 2012. This will be an eye-opener for anyone who has yet to experience the wonderful variety and quality of great golf courses along this short stretch of white-sand coastline backed by the baiyou. Operators will be given the opportunity to experience a unique combination of Blues music, the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast all with great golf, food, culture and entertainment that makes this region particularly exciting and outstanding value for money.

IAGTO's Carlton Carugati said "With over 100 golf tour operators attending from 25 countries, the event is attracting golf tourism suppliers from not only the USA and Canada, but also Mexico and the Caribbean. Now in its 4th year the Convention is the only trade event that focuses purely on driving business to North American golf destinations and it will be great to showcase Mississippi's golf coast at the same time!".

Just over a year IAGTO's Chief Executive presented a State of the Market address to over 1000 delegates at the end of the year's International Golf Travel Market. Focusing on business practices that will help companies emerge strongly from the economic crisis, the content is just as relevant today. An edited transcript of the presentation is available here to download.

IAGTO members can view the most recent State of the Market address from last November in the members' section of this website along with the accompanying slide show.