Peter Walton, President & Chief Executive of IAGTO - the global trade association of the golf tourism industry - visited at the end of June 2004 the Czech Republic for 4 days to view the country's golf tourism product and to help launch a Czech golf tourism initiative. At a meeting at the Novotel Hotel in Prague yesterday with leading representatives of the Czech Republic's golf tourism industry, Walton expressed his surprise and delight at the high quality of the golf courses available for visitors to play.

Walton added: "Golf in the Czech Republic is of such a uniformly high quality that the country has the potential of becoming one of the most successful golf destinations in central Europe. Excellent international access, great value for money, good speed of play around the courses, a safe and secure destination, fantastic complimentary offers and tremendously welcoming hospitality are the key factors, in addition to the high quality courses, that will enable the Czech Republic to develop this lucrative tourism niche market successfully."

Vice Minister of Tourism, Mr Zdenek Svanda, attending the meeting said: "The Ministry of Regional Development understands the importance of golf tourism to the Czech Republic." He went on to express his full support for the planned activities including a promise of financial support."

As a result of the enthusiastic response to the meeting from both private and public sectors, Walton announced the immediate launch of a "Czech Chapter" of IAGTO. Walton said: "IAGTO will provide the framework within which public and private sector representatives can work together to develop golf tourism to the Czech Republic more rapidly. Establishing a Czech Chapter of our global association is the first step." Marie Jehlikova, Managing Director of specialist golf operator Intercontact Praha and a member of IAGTO's Steering Committee, remarked today: "As a result of the meeting a number of key companies and organisations have already expressed an interest in joining a form Czech Chapter of IAGTO.

Walton added: "A later development may be to establish a Czech Golf Tourism Association, but the launch of the IAGTO Czech Chapter today will lay the foundation for a rapid rise in the profile of the Czech Republic as a serious undiscovered golf destination."

The main purpose of Walton's visit was to provide the impetus for the Czech public and private sectors to work together to develop a unified golf tourism strategy over the coming 3 years. Walton said: "The reward for such joint efforts over this period will be a rapid rise in the revenue from golf tourism to the Czech Republic to in excess of €20 million a year."

IAGTO has more than 800 member companies and organisation members in 66 countries, including 185 of the world's leading golf tour operators. IAGTO also established the annual trade show of the golf tourism industry - the International Golf Travel Market, administers the Golf Travel Writers Association, runs the annual Golf Tourism Awards and carries out research worldwide on golf tourism trends.

Golf tourism is worth over €10 billion worldwide, and more than €2 billion in Europe - more than twice the value of golf equipment and clothing sales. There are over 5 million people in Europe playing golf regularly, and within only 2 hours flight of Prague. Germany, Europe's third largest golfing nation after the United Kingdom and Sweden, is also perfectly located for self-drive golfing holidays to the Czech Republic.

Over the past 10 years, golf tourism has grown 2.5 times faster than general "leisure" tourism, and every golf visitor spends, on average, 30% more money in the destination than other tourists. Walton said: "Golf is also an important component for conference and incentive travel, golf encourages people to travel around the country, not only staying in the popular capital of Prague, and the promotion of the Czech Republic as a golf destination will raise the image of the country as an up-market high quality destination."

"To golf-holiday-makers, spas, gastronomy, culture and shopping are also very important combinations, which makes the Czech Republic a perfect golf destination" added Walton.

Source: www.iagto.com/media/press releases