As we continue on our mission to introduce and engage with new fans on a global scale, venturing into new territories is a matter of course for the European Tour. We had 26 different nations hosting tournaments across the world in 2017 alone.
And with the addition of new tournaments and innovative formats, from GolfSixes (featuring a series of matches played over 6 holes, each hole with a different theme) to the Belgian Knockout (which features traditional strokeplay followed by a series of 9-hole matches), the European Tour is doing more than ever to expand the impact of the brand and encourage new people to take up and take an interest in the game.
With the aim of assessing this global footprint, we undertook a piece of research into the buying habits of golf consumers in both emerging and developed countries, examining in particular the impact of attaching the European Tour brand to travel products, with significant results.
In both the UK and Germany, we found that over a third of respondents were more likely to purchase a travel product with the European Tour brand attached. In China, this number was in excess of 75%.
Clearly, this data speaks to the credibility of the Tour name and trust in our brand, as well as for our approach of being a progressive force in the industry.
It also provides greater understanding of the scope of the opportunity, be it through the European Tour Travel Club or MyEuropeanTour, for our partner venues to leverage the conversion power of the brand and access customers in new territories.
The data on China presents an interesting case study when it comes to golf travel. For many European resorts, China is perceived as a lucrative, but in many ways untapped, market.
According to the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), in the last 10 years alone the number of annual overseas visits by Chinese tourists has increased by over 100 million – a staggering upward trend that continues year on year. Capturing even a small percentage of this could have a huge impact for our partner venues.
Despite the potential, marketing to the Chinese consumer remains a challenge. But this research suggests we have reason for optimism.
With the right channels, supported by the European Tour brand, there is the real possibility of unlocking a new wave of golf travellers seeking the best of what Europe, Asia and Africa has to offer.
And that’s only China.
As we continue to push the boundaries of golf and explore new territory, it’s thrilling to see that the global impact of the European Tour brand is flourishing.
Now is the time for us and our partners to think about how we can utilise that impact, not just for the commercial benefits that come with that, but to expand the game worldwide.
