The 3rd IAGTO Asian Golf Tourism Convention took place from the 24TH – 27TH March 2014 on Hainan Island and proved to be the largest-ever golf tourism event to have taken place in Asia with a record 556 delegates from 40 countries. AGTC 2014 was hosted by award-winning golf and spa resort Mission Hills Haikou and the Haikou government, with the convention business networking sessions taking place over two days at the spectacular ocean-front Hainan International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Haikou.
Asia is an important market for the World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) so the AGTC was an ideal event given there were with more than 200 golf tour operator buyers from over 150 companies in 32 countries, 290 supplier delegates from 150 seller companies including golf resorts, golf clubs, hotels, inbound operators and tourist boards from 19 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, including China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Fiji, Mauritius, India, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Australia and New Zealand in attendance.
Oliver Dury, Sales and Marketing Director and Harry Lloyd, Event Director at the World Corporate Golf Challenge were both in attendance all week.
For Oliver Dury ‘the AGTC has been a fantastic event for the WCGC especially given Asia is our key focus for growth over the next two years. AGTC has provided an ideal platform to network with tour operators, event organisers, media owners and tourist boards and discuss potential licensing opportunities and hosting rights for future World Finals within Asia.’
An event with more than 30 Licencees
The WCGC currently has licensed partners in over 30 countries and most recently has signed license holders in both China and Indonesia.
Harry Lloyd said, ‘We had the opportunity to meet up with Olle Sports, our recently signed license holders in China, to discuss plans for their national event programme and possibilities to bring a future World Final to China. We were impressed by Olle Sports professionalism and by the media partners they’ve secured to promote the tournament nationwide. China will undoubtedly play an important part in the history of the WCGC and help build the brand in Asia.”
Hainan Island, a spectacular resort
Hainan Island is a volcanic tropical island which has 54 golf courses of great variety and high quality. The Host Resort Mission Hills Haikou, with its 10 golf courses, stands out as the flagship golf resort of Hainan Island and is one of the most spectacular golf and spa resorts in the world. Attendees were given the chance to play three of the 10 courses during the AGTC including Blackstone, Mission Hills No.1 golf course and home to ‘The Match” between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
Oliver Dury and Rusty Koys, Owner of Pro Golf Slovakia had the chance to play together following negotiations over recent months for the WCGC license in Slovakia. The golf course provided the perfect backdrop to further discussions and consequently sign a license agreement; once again proving that business and golf are a great match.
Oliver commented, “I am delighted Pro Golf Slovakia decided to move forward with the license. Rusty has some great ideas on how to develop WCGC in Slovakia and I am confident he will make the event a great success.”
