The global one golf tourism market is estimated at approx $30.01 billion by 2025with forecasts up to almost $63 billion by 2035. Europe alone (including classic and emerging golf destinations) is expected to grow ~7% CAGR between 2025 and 2035.
For these reasons I was interested in understanding Rik Ruts, CEO of Industry leading coursesand his views on the thought processes and planning strategies of golf travelers in the year 2025.
What factors have influenced the selection of golf holiday destinations in the past 3
years?
Golfers increasingly rely on reliable online sources when deciding where to play abroad. Many of them use Leading Courses to compare regions and clubs our independent reviews, rankings and map views.
Whether considering destinations such as the Costa del Sol or Tenerife, golfers often use our platform to find out what clubs are available and how other golfers rate their experience in nine key categories.
Social content has also become more influential.
We active reuse our review-based insights on social channels to reach golfers looking for destinations, and us occasionally collaborate with expert makers who also share reviews.
The combination of trusted platform data, authentic golfer opinions and social content plays a key role in guiding golfers in their destination choices.
Which social proofs have the most influence when choosing a golf holiday destination?
Clubs with a strong assessment profile attract considerably more attention. Not just the clubs above 9.0but also those that are consistent score between 8.0 and 8.5.
Golfers appreciate high quality and consistencyand they also look closely at review volume and recency.
Clubs without recent reviews are often considered less relevantso maintaining a steady stream of new reviews is essential.
Do you think golf travelers are also considering better value for money when selecting their destinations?
Yes. Value for money has become increasingly relevant.
This is one of the reasons why we have the Green Fee Value Indexwhich highlights the relationship between a club’s rating and green fee levels.
Currently the index is used in our business markets for Spain and Portugal, but this one has the potential to support consumer decision making in the future.
Golfers too look beyond the golf course itself. Hospitality, facilities and maintenance remain essential sustainability is gaining importance.
On our platform we highlight clubs that do this demonstrate strong environmental practiceswhich one helps golfers who prioritize environmental friendliness identify destinations that align with their values.
What strategies can countries like Madeira Island or Hungary use to attract more golf travelers?
The island of Madeira is already an established and popular golf destination, with courses such as Palheiro Golf, Clube de Golfe Santo da Serra and Porto Santo, and new courses under construction.
Hungary, with clubs like Zala Springs Golf Resortstill needs additional visibility to reach a broader group of international golfers.
Both regions can benefit from increasing this visibility involving reviewers, journalists and experienced golfers asked.
When new courses or improved facilities are launched, Inviting expert raters and active reviewers helps generate credible storiesstrong photos and authentic reviews that golfers trust when selecting their next destination.
We regularly go on these introductory trips by invitation, just like in Portugal with openings such as Terras da Comporta.
Our expert assessors and gold and silver members experience the course and share high quality reviews, blogs and insights that are of great interest to golfers.
For smaller or emerging golf destinations such as Madeira Island or Hungary, this approach should be combined with targeted promotion Industry leading courses and through selected media channels.
By doing this, golfers actively seek out new places to play exposed to compelling, reliable information about the region.
This combination of expert reviews and targeted promotion is one of the most effective ways to attract more golf travelers.
What digital tools do golf travelers expect from golf destinations?
Golfers increasingly expect digital support before and during their journey. Scoring apps and course information tools are popular as they help players navigate unfamiliar layouts.
While traveling, golfers rely heavily on our mobile website and app Unpleasant
- find courses nearby,
- compare reviews,
- read reviews, and
- book tee times.
Leading Courses is used not only for pre-trip orientation, but also as a practical on-site tool to select and book courses near their hotel or resort.
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