Antalya eyes bigger share of global golf market

ANTALYA - Anadolu Agency

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Turkey’s Western Mediterranean Development Agency (BAKA) and Turkish Airlines have initiated a project to enable the Turkish province of Antalya to take a bigger share in the world golf market by inviting representatives from France’s golf travel agencies to visit the resort town of Belek’s golf courses. 

A team has been established by BAKA to foster sports tourism in Antalya, with team members focused on exploring sports tourism potentials abroad, said BAKA Sport Tourism Coordinator Osman Erol at a press conference on April 10. 

“In this vein, we invited the gold travel agency representatives from France in order to introduce our hotels and golf courses,” he said. 

France has more than 1 million licensed golfers, and according to Erol, “plays a big role in the world of golf.” 

His aim is to introduce Belek, previously selected as the best European golf destination by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), in addition to other places. He hopes the visits will be the mark of a “great beginning.”

A high level executive of France’s Golfexpedition Voyages Do’c, Maud Morel, said French golfers usually prefer golf courses in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Tunisia, as they are easy places to visit. 

“Turkey needs to make big promotional campaigns of its golf courses to lure French golfers and start direct flights from France to Antalya,” Morel said, adding Turkey may be a good alternative to the oft-visited Morocco and Tunisia.