Date :
15/09/2014
Considered the third biggest sporting event in the world after the Olympics and The World Cup, golf’s Ryder Cup tees off at Gleneagles on the 26th September with tens of thousands of tourists flocking to Scotland for the marquee competition.
BBC Scotland reported that VisitScotland stated that the event is expected to net the country upwards of £80million as top golfers from the USA and Europe face off for the famous golden trophy which has been contested since the inaugural competition in 1927.
With such a huge event of global interest, spanning six days of play, the tourist influx to the country will be massive. Across all sectors of the tourism industry, there will be opportunities to utilise the competition, from food and drink, accommodation, visitor centres and tourist attractions to historical tours and hospitality.
Scotland has already had a massive presence on the world stage in 2014 with the hosting of the very successful Commonwealth Games as well as the global interest in the forthcoming Independence Referendum and a host of Homecoming Scotland activities, aimed at promoting the country’s rich tourism resources. Bringing the Ryder Cup to the “Home of Golf”, the country that invented the game, will massively boost the attention of the world on Scotland, and encourage visits from across the globe for some time to come.
When Celtic Manor in Wales hosted the tournament in 2010, the estimated boost to the economy amounted to £82.5million with Scotland expected to top this figure in 2014.
The Tourism Intelligence Scotland’s free downloadable Golf Tourism in Scotland guide is a valuable online resource for the tourism industry. Hosting key facts about golf tourism, intelligence on the types of visitors that visit Scotland for golf events, where they like to visit and play golf and other services that such visitors look for - this a must read guide to help your business capitalise.
Find more useful links about golf tourism at the VisitScotland website too.