Villa Padierna Golf Club hosts in two days a large meeting of international golf tour operators with as many Andalusian golf suppliers in a working days that have been organized by IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) and Turismo Andaluz after a collaboration agreement reached in the last edition of the World Travel Market in London.
The 60 tour operators who will participate in the business meeting come from various parts of the world, such as Argentina, United States, Finland, France, Germany or United Kingdom, which are the main markets for the golf sector in Andalusia. For their part, a similar number of Andalusian golf suppliers will participate in this professional event to close business deals and promote this sector in Andalusia.
The workshop will be preceded by a golf tournament tomorrow at Villa Padierna, a resort with three 18-hole golf courses and the luxury hotel that gives its name to the complex. Michael Campbell, winner of the 2005 U.S. Open and image of the Villa Padierna Golf Academy, is expected to participate in the competition.
The presentation of this IAGTO meeting on the Costa del Sol was held this morning at Villa Padierna in a ceremony attended by the Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía, Luciano Alonso, the president of IAGTO, Peter Walton, and the president of Villa Padierna Hotels and Resorts, Ricardo Arranz.
Walton has expressed the good moment that golf tourism is experiencing in Spain and has highlighted the high growth potential that this sector has in our country, so it is of great relevance the celebration of professional events like this. In this regard, he noted that last year golf tourism in Spain grew by 5 percent when the average in Europe was 9.7 and in the world of 9.8. “Andalusia has a great capacity to grow, and that is why we are here,” he said.
For his part, Alonso has stressed the importance of golf tourism for Andalusia and the commitment of his Ministry with the promotion of this tourist segment. In his opinion, professional meetings like this are “an extraordinary opportunity” to promote the Andalusian golf offer worldwide.
The meeting organized by IAGTO and Turismo Andaluz includes the celebration of a golf tournament for professionals (tour operators and suppliers) in Flamingos Golf Club, as well as different working tables that will take place in Villa Padierna Palace Hotel and in which the different tour operators and Andalusian golf courses will meet to close business deals.
The importance of the professional meeting organized by IAGTO and Turismo Andaluz lies in the fact that this international organization brings together 80% of the golf packages sold worldwide through tour operators.
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