Golf may be the key to unlocking more tourism dollars with a new partnership between the Australian golf and tourism industries announced this week.

'Great Golf Courses of Australia' is a collaboration between the country's premier golf courses, Tourism Australia, State Tourism Offices and the PGA of Australia aimed at tapping into the tourism potential of a sport today worth $3 billion annually to the Australian economy.

The group will initially comprise the six Australian courses as featured by US Golf Magazine in its 'Top 100' courses of the world: Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm in Tasmania, Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne in Victoria, New South Wales Golf Course in Sydney and Royal Adelaide in South Australia.

Liz Sattler, Director of Great Golf Courses of Australia and daughter of Richard Sattler, owner of Tasmania's Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm golf courses, believes that relying on the quality of Australia's golfing product alone is not enough to establish the country as an international golf tourism destination.

"In order for Australia to establish itself as one of the world's leading golf destinations, we must continue to drive the buzz that has been created around Australia in recent years and in particular off the back of the Presidents Cup.

"Successful marketing, promotion and distribution of Australian Golf product to the international market is vital if we are to gain a great share of the golf tourism market pie."

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy believes that Australia is well placed to tap into the huge tourism potential of golf and through this latest collaboration will be able to grab a bigger share of the multi-million dollar golf tourism market.

"Golf is a hugely popular sport in Australia with around 1.2 million golfers playing on more than 1,650 different courses around Australia each year and, according to a 2010 Australian Golf Industry Council report, contributing around $3 billion to the country's economy," Mr McEvoy said.
                                                                                                                                                     
"We currently boast six of the world's top 100 courses, as well as many others that are located in iconic and distinctly Australian settings, which offer up real tourism potential.

"We definitely see an opportunity here to build golf into the holiday experience, particularly by tapping into those overseas markets that love their golf, such as China, Korea and Japan.

Mirage Country Club's Melanie Kerr said there was a good incentive for golfers to choose Port Douglas for their next holiday.

"There are luxurious courses with door step accessibility to lush, tropical, manicured landscapes, ready to be experienced at a Port Douglas pace." 

It is envisaged that the partnership between golf and tourism industries will be extended in subsequent phases to include some of the other outstanding golf courses and experiences on offer in Australia, many within iconic settings, ideally placed to benefit for both domestic and international golf tourism visitors.

Home page image by golfzipper.com .

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