Fáilte Ireland recently unveiled its Annual Review and Forecasts for 2015 and 2016.
In general, the outlook is good. Strong dollar/sterling versus euro rates , a 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector, and, the long-standing view that Ireland is a safe place to visit.
These are three, of many factors that compliment an effective, high-impact marketing campaign by Fáilte Ireland, making this island an attractive destination.
Where does golf fit into this? – This, is still uncertain.
A quick scan across numerous platforms indicate that golf tourism has largely fallen off the agenda, perhaps, left to private tour companies, various club alliances and individuals to promote.
The last activity on the @Golf_Ireland account was in March 2014, the final golf related entry on the Fáilte Ireland website was also March 2014 while over on Discover Ireland things are slightly better with some content added in 2015, however tabs generally lead to dead ends.
Golf in Ireland is an accessible and popular activity and should be restored into the “package tourism” programme.
Update 13/1/2016: Golf Tourism Strategy in Northern Ireland (2015-2020)
Figures supplied by Fáilte Ireland
Open Golf Ireland 