This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Golf tourism on fairway to success
16/09/2004
Golf tourism in Scotland is flying high with a £200
million increase in revenue over the last four years.
On the eve of the Ryder Cup in America, Tourism and
Sport Minister Frank McAveety said the figures were up from
£100 million to £300 million and stressed the importance of
promoting Scotland as a must-visit golfing destination.
Mr McAveety said:
"These impressive figures illustrate that if we are
imaginative about marketing our unique product, golf
tourism provides enormous potential for growth.
"Scotland is famed as 'the Home of Golf' and boasts
some of the world's finest courses, and I want us to build
on that richly deserved reputation. To achieve our
ambitious plans we need to offer top quality services, food
and accommodation, so we can ensure Scotland is a
must-visit destination for the world's golfers, their
friends and families.
"Through the Clubgolf initiative, launched last year by
the First Minister, we will give Scottish youngsters the
opportunity to realise their potential and experience a
sport that would perhaps not have been available to them
before. It is encouraging that Clubgolf is fully endorsed
and supported by the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish
Ladies Golfing Association,
sportscotland and the PGA.
"Clubgolf is a Ryder Cup bid commitment and we have the
ambition to make 2014 the best ever Ryder Cup. This weekend
as we watch the world's greatest players, including
Scotland's own Colin Montgomerie, I hope Clubgolf will
uncover more top-class players for the future able to
compete in this and other elite golf competitions."
Clubgolf's targets for 2009 include:
· Introducing 50,000 nine year olds to Clubgolf
every year through schools
· 50,000 9-15 year olds retained in the Clubgolf
programme at any time
· 200 Clubgolf centres (school, club and
community linked centres delivering Clubgolf
programmes)
· 20 new junior Clubgolf facilities
· 40 affiliated Junior Golf facilities (existing
driving ranges and commercial facilities using the Clubgolf
brand)
The Executive is providing funding of £500,000 per year
for Clubgolf through sportscotland until 2009.