The mint-condition facilities and hospitality at golf courses in Dubai continue to wow global followers of the sport. This was very evident at the 22nd annual International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Awards, where the emirate was named as one of five Golf Destination of the Year for 2023.
IAGTO members from across five continents were invited to vote for destinations and businesses that delivered a great experience for golf travellers in 2022, and Dubai emerged as the top choice for this extremely important group of stakeholders of the game.
Apart from Dubai, the chosen five destinations for 2023 are Cyprus, Los Cabos, South Carolina and Thailand.
Established in 2000 and recognised as the most prestigious awards in the global golf tourism industry, the 2023 edition of the IAGTO Awards celebrates not only these five golf destinations but also the outstanding service provided by 60 receptive operators and tourist boards in 22 countries.
Peter Walton, IAGTO Chief Executive, said: “It’s great to see relatively small golf destinations such as Cyprus, Dubai and Los Cabos in the mix with the established giants such as South Carolina and Thailand. Recipients of our Outstanding Service Award include renowned established golf resorts like Adare Manor, Fancourt and SO/Sotogrande Resort, alongside relative newcomers like Vattanac Golf Resort in Cambodia and Hoiana Shores Golf Club in Vietnam.”
There was recognition for two other Dubai organisations.
Dubai Golf, which manages and operates some of the leading golf courses in the emirates like the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates, was named among the golf resorts, golf courses and hotels honoured for excellence in services, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Pebble Beach, The Old Course Hotel at St Andrews and Sotogrande in Spain.
Dubai-based Desert Gate Tourism was mentioned as one of 11 top destination management and transportation companies in the golf business.
IAGTO golf tour operators handle nearly 90 percent of international golf vacation sales worldwide, so they are in a great position to assess the performance of golf destinations and the service provided by industry partners, through the experience of their customers. The organisation currently has 669 golf tour operators in 61 countries.
Dubai holds a special place for golf in the Middle East. The first green golf course in the region was at Emirates Golf Club, created in 1988, and the first international golf tournament was the Dubai Desert Classic, then called Karl Litten Desert Classic in honour of the golf course designer, in 1989.
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