Press release -
The Open to drive economic success
Around 170,000 golf fans are set to flock to South Ayrshire for The Open this week, providing a significant impact to Scotland’s visitor economy and cementing Scotland’s reputation as the Home of Golf.
Last year The Open, held in St Andrews, delivered an economic impact of £140m to Scotland, making it the biggest golf event ever held in the UK & Ireland.
Almost two thirds of spectators attended from outside of Scotland and 28 per cent from overseas, showing the international scope of the Championship. Now, for the second year in a row, spectators are set to flock to Scotland to watch the world’s best golfers in action, bringing with them a huge economic impact for the region and the country as a whole.
The Open, the world’s oldest and most prestigious professional golf tournament, is one of nine professional golf events which are being hosted in Scotland this year across both the men’s and ladies’ game.
All nine events are supported by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s events directorate, which invests almost £3m per year on hosting major golf events and marketing Scotland as a world-class golf tourism destination.
The 145th Open Championship, which takes place at Royal Troon (14-17 July) for the ninth time, is expected to attract around 170,000 spectators as some the biggest names in golf, including Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Jordan Spieth, compete for the title of Champion Golfer of the Year and the iconic Claret Jug.
Scotland’s spectacular summer of golf teed off with The Scottish Hydro Challenge at Spey Valley, Aviemore in late June with tournaments taking place across the summer, concluding with the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship set to be played across St.Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns courses in October.
The Open at Royal Troon will be followed by the return of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links (22-24 July).
The event, which is one of the biggest on the Ladies European Tour and takes place the week before the Women’s British Open, is supported by VisitScotland as part of Scotland’s commitments to hosting The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. Last year more than 10,000 spectators turned out to watch the action at Dundonald.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:
“Golf is a vital part of the visitor economy with the ripple effect felt in shops, hotels, restaurants and a wide variety of other businesses across Scotland. These high profile events don’t just provide entertainment – they represent a multi-million pound benefit to Scotland – both urban and rural.
“Scotland continues to be envy of world golf when it comes to the hosting of the biggest and best events in the game. In 2014 Scotland was showcased on the world stage with the hosting of the ‘best-ever’ Ryder Cup and last year we followed that up with return of The Open in St Andrews, the most successful golf event ever held in the UK and Ireland.
“The Open at Royal Troon and the eight other golf events in Scotland this year only enhance further our country’s reputation as the Home of Golf with many more lined up for future years such as the Solheim Cup in 2019.”
SUMMER OF GOLF ITINERY 2016
- Date: 23 – 26 June 2016
- Event: SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge
- Location: Spey Valley Golf Club, Aviemore
- Date: 2 – 3 July 2016
- Event: Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open Pre-Qualifier
- Location: The Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth
- Date: 7 – 10 July 2016
- Event: Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open
- Location: Castle Stuart, Inverness
- Date: 14 – 17 July
- Event: The Open
- Location: Royal Troon, South Ayrshire
- Date: 21 – 24 July
- Event: Senior Open Championship
- Location: Carnoustie Golf Links, Angus
- Date: 22 – 24 July
- Event: Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open
- Location: Dundonald Links, South Ayrshire
- Date: 4 – 7 August
- Event: Paul Lawrie Match Play
- Location: Archerfield Links Golf Club, East Lothian
- Date: 19 – 21 August
- Event: Scottish Seniors Open
- Location: Archerfield Links Golf Club, East Lothian
- Date: 6 – 9 October
- Event: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
- Location: Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, all Fife
To find out more about golf in Scotland visit, www.visitscotland.com/golf
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- golf
- sportstourism
- eventscotland
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
- This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
- Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
- Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
- Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
- Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
- Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
- Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
- Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
- The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business events in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 - 2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins on 1 January 2016 and ends on 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
- Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
- Join the conversation at #IAD2016
- Events can join the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design Partner Programme throughout the year by visiting http://www.eventscotland.org/YIAD_partner_programme
