South Carolina’s historic city of Charleston was the belle of the golf ball after hosting the largest-ever golf tourism convention in North America.

The sixth annual North America Golf Tourism Convention (NAC), staged by golf tourism industry organization IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), drew a record 360 delegates.

During the three-day event, more than 120 golf tour operators from around the world had two days of business meetings with golf resorts, courses, hotels, inbound operators and tourist boards from the USA, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean. The convention culminated in a Ryder Cup-style golf tournament between teams representing North America and the Rest of the World on the prestigious Ocean Course at Kiawah Island – host course for the infamous “War by the Shore” Ryder Cup in 1991 and where Rory McIlroy won the USA PGA Championship in 2012. The operators also participated in inspection tours of Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and Charleston before and after NAC.

Having revealed that the USA was the fastest-growing golf destination for IAGTO golf tour operators in 2013 in his opening address at NAC 2014, IAGTO Chief Executive Peter Walton was delighted with the success of the event and the venue.

“Over 4,000 meetings took place between golf tour operators from 24 countries and suppliers from all across North America and the Caribbean,” he said. “On average, more than 50% of the meetings requested by tour operators were with destinations and suppliers that they were not currently selling. The attending delegates were unanimous in saying not only how beautiful the city of Charleston was but also how wonderful it was to have the convention in Charleston.

“Around three-quarters of the 360 delegates had never been to Charleston before. The hospitality of the host destination was exceptional, with the delegates looked after throughout the event with the best food and Southern friendliness. It will definitely lead to an increase in golf visitor arrivals in coming years, as has been the case with the previous five North America Conventions.”

The convention drew high praise from tour operators and supplier delegates, many of whom described it as the best NAC yet. The event’s hosts were also delighted.

Helen Hill, Executive Director for the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said: “We were extremely pleased with the convention, both in terms of the quality and number of attendees.  It allowed us to further strengthen existing relationships within the golf travel business, and to forge many new ones. The convention more than met our expectations in part due to the number of attendees, which far exceeded our original projections.

“We heard many comments from attendees stating they had ‘always wanted to visit Charleston’, and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We expect to see steady growth in the number of golf travelers visiting Charleston as the members of IAGTO spread the word to their clientele about our area's offerings as a premier golf and leisure travel destination.”

Catherine Dority, Director of Marketing, Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, added: “It’s very important hosting NAC, because then you get the operators having a first-hand look at what they are going to sell to their clients. Charleston is so unique. Until you come here you just don’t get it. Seeing the NAC attendance increase and seeing our local businesses – the restaurants and hotels – step up and welcome everyone there so enthusiastically, it has definitely been successful.”

Trypp Hays, Director of Sales and Marketing for NAC host hotel in Charleston, the Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, said: “We have had great meetings. The hotel originally opened in 1853. I think it is the hotel that is the most uniquely reflective of Charleston and its history, combining 19th century charm with luxury. It is the quintessential Charleston experience. I think we will do a lot of business from this event. People are very enthusiastic.”

Natalie Payne, Director of Leisure Sales for Kiawah Island Resort, was a third-time NAC attendee. She said: “This year I have seen a lot more people focusing on luxury, which is good for Kiawah. The excitement of the convention being in Charleston and playing the Ocean Course for the tournament means there has been a lot of interest. It has been very good for South Carolina in general. People have been pleasantly surprised by South Carolina and Charleston and the opportunity of combining Charleston, Kiawah Island and Hilton Head. This convention is a wonderful opportunity to meet with so many international tour operators I would never get the chance to visit in their countries.”

Comments from delegates attending NAC 2014:

Seller delegates:

Danna Lilly, Director of Sales, Myrtle Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
“Having pre and post fam tours with NAC is absolutely the best way to show people Myrtle Beach. Even though we are known for golf, the amount of golf in such a small area is hard to get your head around. Our area is diverse and seeing it is the only way to appreciate it along with all the other attractions, the restaurants and nightlife. To have NAC in our own back yard in Charleston is an incredible opportunity. Economically, this provides a great platform for us. The appointments have been fabulous. People came here ready to talk business and were ready to learn about new destinations. They are looking to grow their business. A lot of fun goes on but a lot of business is done as well. To create a network of new clients and build relationships with them is invaluable.”

Tracy Vaughn, International Sales & Marketing Director, Visit Florida
“This is my second NAC. The key buyers are here and it’s a nice size. You are going to see who you need to see. It’s very important to make sure we continue to ensure the buyers know the value of courses we have.”

Alexandra Novella, Director of Sales, Indura Beach & Golf Resort, Honduras
“This is my first time at the convention. Our golf resort just opened in April. The course is a design by Gary Player and it is managed by Troon Golf. I have met really good buyers so it has been very productive. It is not only a new resort and golf course, Honduras is a new destination. It is great now to have two golf courses in the country. I was looking to form alliances and I came across IAGTO so I joined and registered for the North America Convention. I am very pleased with it. I hope to get business for this year. We are putting together some packages for tour operators.”

Andrew Brooks, Director of Golf Sales & Marketing, Bermuda Tourism
“We have had good appointments and the increase in traffic is noticeable. It makes it much more beneficial for destinations like Bermuda – new contacts and good new business. Having been to NAC for four or five years, it is also interesting to see people who come back, which I think shows a bit of a resurgence in the industry. I would say about 50-60% of meetings have been new exposure for Bermuda. That is why being at this convention is very important. It gives us exposure to new markets and for them Bermuda is a new destination. We are definitely coming back next year. ”

Alan Maloney, Proprietor, Mount Falcon/Enniscrone Golf Club, Ireland
“It is worth coming to NAC; it always is. Apart from the number of formalized meetings and business sessions, invariably somebody new presents more business. Buyers are here from all over Europe but the bulk of my appointments have been with people from all over North America – Canada and the US – and also Australia. I am hoping to get more business from it. With some of the tour operators it’s a re-education process while for others it is new business opportunities. Charleston is fantastic. It has a wonderful charm and it has got everything.”

Donnie Dawson, Deputy Director of Tourism The Americas, Jamaica Tourist Board
“This is my third NAC. The meetings have been very positive. I didn’t have as many appointments this year, but I had more quality appointments. Overall it has been perfect. The organization of it has been excellent. We are now at a stage where I know what people can offer. So the conversations are not meet and greet. It is much more quality conversations we are having than two or three years ago. We are talking business.”

Sarah Kearney, Director of Tourism, Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Arizona
“It’s very good, because of the combination of people I have met and worked with before and people who are new and expanding into Arizona, which is always positive. I think with the greater attendance you can see not only how the whole organization is growing but also how people are really starting to develop new programs and destinations, and their interest level in Scottsdale is very high. This is our fourth NAC and I think I have had more pre-scheduled appointments than at previous conventions.”

Tim Ryan, Vice President Sales, Pebble Beach Resorts, California
“Over the three years we have been attending it has been an opportunity for us to further our position with international tour operators. So we are expanding on our offerings now and trying to get a little more creative to keep growing our business. When we first got into this business a few years ago people weren’t sure if we were going to be in it for the long term. Coming here further shows our commitment to being in this market. It has been very good for us. We have had a good-value appointment schedule. We have established trust with the operators and will look after their clients. We have started to do more good value offers in the winter season and we are getting good feedback from operators. We are working much more with them to do special promotions. About 30% of our appointments have been new.”

Meghan Reeves, Assistant Director of Social Sales, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina
“This is my first time to NAC. Seeing the tour operators and talking to them about Pinehurst is very beneficial, and it helps meeting new people. Building on relationships we already have and making new relationships is good for us. Coming back to back with the US Open at Pinehurst, we felt it was very important to build our international market so we had to come to NAC. We are going to be in the forefront of people’s minds because of the US Open and with the relationships we have made; people can feel confident in our services and feel comfortable in what we can provide. We have lots of possible new clientele. We were completely booked for appointments and were fitting in people in lunches and whenever we could. It has definitely been worthwhile coming to NAC.”

Rod Christian, President, New York Golf Trail, New York State
“We joined IAGTO a couple of months ago and signed up to the convention. We had almost 30 appointments in two days. I realize already it would have been a big mistake not to come here. We have had very productive meetings with people from 15-20 countries. All of them were enthusiastic about a new destination within easy driving distance of New York City. The trail is five years old. We have 23 courses in six regions of New York State, with 20 hotels and inns. We make the tee time reservations and accommodation bookings; it really is a one-stop shop. We have done traditional golf shows but I think this will outstrip the results from any of those we have done. New York City is a starting point for people coming over here on a golf vacation with all the other amenities in the state. I think we are planting seeds here. Because we are an overseas destination for most IAGTO tour operator members, we are looking more to the long term for bookings. We are very impressed with IAGTO for organizing the convention and the opportunity to socialize with everyone, the hospitality of the IAGTO staff and everybody here. It has been very successful.”

Tour operators:

Robin Couchman, Product Manager, Your Golf Travel, England
“Charleston is just a beautiful place – very relaxed and friendly, plus you have the Southern welcome. Personally I think the Carolinas are the golf capital of the US. You have got everything from amazing value to high-end championship golf. They cater for all standards of golfers. You will come here and have a fantastic time. Charleston is the one of the few places in America with some history and is great to explore, from the cobbled streets and horse and carriage rides to the fine dining and high-end shopping. NAC has been extremely useful. To meet these guys all in one place at one time has been extremely useful.”

Ian Dawson, Vice President Business Development & Product, Golfstream Travel, Canada
“This is my fifth time at NAC. It has become the must-not-miss event for golf tour operators. The quality of the suppliers is very high and the diversity is quite broad, which gives us a tremendous exposure to a lot of different product. You can do so much of your business in one place at one time. It saves us as buyers having to spend an inordinate amount of time and money visiting all the people in these destinations and allows us to get so much of our buying done in a three-day span. And from a networking perspective, it allows us to share ideas with our peers in the industry. It is a great networking opportunity. You cannot miss this even now. If you are a golf tour operator or supplier in the golf travel business you must be here.”

Bill Mabey, Director, Experience Golf, New Zealand
“This is my fifth NAC. We have got past the global recession. There is more positivity about the place now. This is one of the better ones. Charleston is one of the places you need to see to really appreciate it. As soon as we came, we loved it. It is just beautiful and pretty historic. I can actually foresee this as a possible destination for golfers from New Zealand in conjunction with the Masters.”

Mikael Jensen, General manager, Krone Golf Tours, Denmark
“It has been a great show and it is nice to see Charleston again. I will definitely be back. I try to book appointments with 50% potential new suppliers and 50% I already work with. The meetings have been productive and very positive. This is my third NAC. It is getting better and better; maybe because I know people from before, but there are new suppliers as well.”

Claude Heinz, President & CEO, Mach 2 Sports Tours & Entertainment, Germany
“Charleston has been a total surprise. It is a very positive experience – the restaurants, the people of Charleston and their friendliness. The show was very good for me; so many new contacts and suppliers. We are looking forward to following it up to bring more business to the USA, especially South Carolina and California. I am very pleased and the organization has been very good.”

Gwenna Pence, Product Director, Pret-a-Porter Golf Tours, USA
“I have been to two NACs. Panama surprised me. It has great interest for Americans and is somewhere I was interested in. It has grown and become very sophisticated. I can send clients who have been to Costa Rica. I am glad I came because there were a few really good, new interesting ideas I am coming away with. And I love Charleston. They did a really good job.”

Javier Pintos, Partner & Outbound Golf Manager, WeGolf Tours, Argentina
“It is a very good set-up. It is very useful to have a bar and coffee available to make the day more friendly. The quality of the suppliers was very good. This is our third NAC and it was the best one yet. I believe the host city was also one of the best if not the best I have been to for this show. I really enjoyed playing on the Ocean Course, playing for pride in a Ryder Cup-style format.”

Steven Wyke, Director, The Travelling Golfer, Australia
“This is my first time at NAC. I thought NAC was fantastic and I found it valuable on two fronts. It gives you the opportunity to people who have been in the industry for a long time and get an understanding of what the issues are and how it was when they started. The second front is making connections. When you plan a tour you need to put a face to a name. You can build better relationships through direct contact rather than via email. I wanted to get a little more knowledge of this area and try to link it into the Masters for tours. That is a more logical way to get people from Australia to experience the Carolinas. Gaining a better understanding of the different regions has been fantastic. I was on the Charleston fam trip beforehand. It is really a great town whether you are a golfer or a non-golfer. There’s great food, great nightlife and the hospitality is first class. When you combine it with the golf it is a really good mix.”

END

IMAGE CAPTION
NAC Golf Tournament, Ryder Cup Style Format

INFORMATION FOR THE EDITOR
Full details of the 2014 North America Golf Tourism Convention are available at www.iagto.com/NAC
To download photos please go to www.iagto.com/photolib

Established in 1997, IAGTO is the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry, and has over 2250 members in 99 countries including more than 550 golf tour operator members in 62 countries, which control more than 85% of golf holiday packages sold worldwide and which collectively have annual sales of over US$2 billion. IAGTO runs a successful North America Convention, now in its 6th year, along with annual Asia and Mid Year Conventions and regular Destination Conventions. IAGTO established the International Golf Travel Market, now owned and operated by Reed Travel Exhibitions, in 1997 and the International Golf Travel Writers Association in 2000. IAGTO also runs the prestigious annual IAGTO Awards and the IAGTO Excellence Awards.

For Further Information: www.iagto.com