As part of the 6th annual International Golf Travel Market in the Dominican Republic…
As part of the 6th annual International Golf Travel Market in the Dominican Republic, the IAGTO awards ceremony was attended by major golf tour operators and golf travel media from around the world.
The Golf Travel Writers Association was invited by IAGTO to nominate and select the winner for the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year. Criteria taken into consideration included: the extent to which the golf destination was considered to be undiscovered; qualities that make for an interesting golf destination; attractiveness of the region and of the courses; golf course quality and accessibility; standard of accommodation; friendliness of the staff; value for money; speed of play; and climate. Other destinations nominated include Oregon, Costa Rica, Austria, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Pennsylvania, Gran Canaria Spain and the Gold Coast of Australia. Last year`s winner for the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year was Wales.
We are delighted that IAGTO has awarded the province of British Columbia the prestigious title of the Undiscovered Golf Destination, commented Rod Harris, president and CEO of Tourism British Columbia. Tourism British Columbia is fortunate to be able to work with great partners in promoting golf in the province including the Canadian Golf Tourism Alliance, the Canadian Tourism Commission, the provincial tourism regions and the many golf courses around British Columbia.
Harris added, The world is starting to recognize that British Columbia is a fantastic golf destination where visitors can not only enjoy our great golf around the province, but can experience the many other world class activities British Columbia has to offer.
The annual golf holiday is the highlight of the golfing year for many of the world`s 50 million players, and the IAGTO Awards serve to reward a few exceptional contributions to the world of golf travel, said IAGTO CEO Peter Walton. Also recognized last night were Ireland and Italy. Ireland received the award for Established Golf Destination and Italy received the award for Emerging Golf Destination.
IAGTO was established in 1997 and is the global trade association of the golf tourism industry. Members include golf tour operators, golf resorts, hotels, golf courses, receptive operators, airlines and tourist boards in more than 64 countries worldwide. One of IAGTO`s most important roles is to encourage private and public sector organizations to work together in the development and promotion of new and existing golf destinations, making them accessible to the widest range of golfers.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
