Golf Tourism Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Domestic, International), By Service Type (Personal Tours, Professional Tours), By End-User (Male, Female) And Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Golf is widely popular among the middle-aged as well as elderly population worldwide. Such consumers largely avail of golf tour services as they can enjoy their vacations playing golf. Rising outdoor leisure activity trends among such consumers are primarily supporting the demand for such services. Hospitality organizations such as Four Seasons Hotel Group, Marriott International, and others widely offer various golf services, including single-day & multiple day tour packs to provide a holistic tourism service to the hotel visitors.

Moreover, worldwide golf tourism authorities are implementing various campaigns and events to attract people towards participating in the golf games, thereby fuelling the golf tourism services demand. For instance, in November 2020, the Tourism Authority of Thailand introduced golf courses and a pan India promotional event, 'Season 4' in India, to promote Thailand's golf destinations among the Indian golfers.

Increasing infrastructural facilities related to the golf courts are expected to provide ease in the demand for golf tourism services worldwide. For instance, in 2018, the Investment Authority of Saudi Arabia opened a new court, 'ROYAL GREENS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB,' to offer 25 new golf courses for the 34 million Saudi Arabia's population by 2030. Additionally, regular provision of the discounted services by the golf clubs and hotels is likely to attract people towards availing such services from these clubs thereby, driving the golf tourism market growth.

Moreover, golf's growing popularity among women populations is likely to provide newer opportunities for the golf tourism industry growth. Increasing awareness regarding the health benefits of playing sports among younger populations worldwide is expected to ease future golf tourism industry growth.

However, golf games take more time to complete than other playground games such as tennis and hockey. Therefore, rising consumer demand for sports such as tennis and hockey, which require lesser time to complete, is anticipated to restrain the golf tourism demand. Additionally, uncertain lockdown restriction among the commercial settings such as sports courts and playgrounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries across the globe is likely to pose challenges to the overall industry growth.

Key Players Covered:

The prominent players associated with the global golf tourism market are GolfHolidays.com, Golfbreaks Ltd., INTA International, Direct Golf Holidays, Celtic Golf, Haversham & Baker Golf Expeditions, Kalos Golf, PerryGolf, SGF Golf Inc., SOPHISTICATED GOLFER, and others.

The global golf tourism market is segmented based on type, service type, end-user, and geography.

Based on the type, the golf tourism industry is segmented into domestic and international. People commonly prefer to play golf games during their holidays in the local golf clubs due to such clubs' easy accessibility. This is expected to make the domestic segment hold a major market share. Additionally, increasing provision of discounts and coupons by the local golf clubs to domestic tourists is likely to attract people towards availing golf courses from these clubs thereby, driving the segmental growth.

By service type, the global golf tourism market is segmented into personal tours and professional tours. The largest share of the professional tours segment is attributed to the large spending of the golf organizers on the successful establishment of professional golf events, thereby resulting in the larger revenues from such a segment. Moreover, the increasing number of professional golfers in many countries worldwide is further driving the segmental revenues.

By end-user, the global golf tourismmarket is segmented into male and female. Male populations are largely inclined towards playing golf games during their work holidays. This results in a significant market share from a male segment. Additionally, corporate organizations widely provide golf vouchers and coupons to their employees for employee benefits purposes. This is further likely to drive the demand for golf tourism services among men working professionals thereby, fuelling the segmental revenues.

Regional Golf tourism Market Analysis:

By geography, the global golf tourism market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa.

The North American region's largest share is attributed to the large participation rate in the golf games by the populations in the United States and Canada, resulting in the larger revenues from the golf tourism-related services from the North American region. According to the data presented by the National Golf Federation, in 2018, American populations' off-course golf participation reached 24.2 million, 10% up from 23.8 million in 2017. Additionally, rising outdoor leisure activity trends and increasing income level of the population in the countries such as Mexico and Canada are further likely to drive the golf tourism market growth in the region.

The fastest growth of the Asia Pacific market is due to the large infrastructural facilities related to the golf clubs in countries such as China and India, which are likely to provide ease in establishing the golf sports activities in the region. According to the data presented by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club Organisation, as of 2018, there were 2,227 golf club facilities in Japan. Moreover, the aged population increasingly prefers to play golf games during their vacation period or after retirement. Therefore, the growing ageing population in the countries such as Japan and China is likely to provide newer market growth opportunities. According to the data presented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in China, the aged population accounted for 10.9% of the total population in 2018.

Segmentation Analysis:

Key Industry Developments:

• In November 2020, The PGA Tour, a U.S. professional golf tour operator acquired a minority stake of European Tour Media Company to expand its business to the men’s professional golf segment worldwide.


• In October 2020, TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL INC., a global sport entertainment company merged with Callaway Golf Company to leverage the partner’s brand and financial strength to further target the newer professional golfers worldwide.