ORGANISERS of the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE) have unveiled plans to host a special golf tournament for participants at next year’s event, to bolster the sports tourism sector.
The inaugural FTE Golf Day will be presented by the Fiji International a day before the three-day expo starts in 2017.
About 60 international buyers and media personnel will be part of the 18-hole four-person Ambrose golf event along with 20 local tourism industry stakeholders. While announcing plans for the event at the final day of FTE on Denarau yesterday, Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya said hosting the FTE Golf Day presented an opportunity for international buyers to have a taste of the Fiji International experience and package golf in Fiji.
“Sports tourism for us is now involving golf tourism and it is a growing niche market product for Fiji and has potential to bring in high yielding tourists,” he said.
“This will provide our international partners a taste of Fiji in terms of what we offer and experiences way beyond anywhere else in the world.”
Fiji International tournament co-ordinator Harmony Thomas said the course would be set up to allow buyers to have an experience of Fiji’s premier golfing tournament.
“It will be one of our hospitality experiences that they can share with us so we’re very excited for that,” she said.
“We want to thank Tourism Fiji for allowing us to put on this golf day and show what golf at Natadola has to offer.”
According to Tourism Fiji executive chairman Truman Bradley, the FTE Golf Day presented by the Fiji International would shape and enhance next year’s event.
“It will also showcase the great diversity of quality products available in Fiji to existing and new international industry partners,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tourism Fiji says a new co-sanctioning agreement between the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour would allow the Fiji International to become more global in 2016.
“The European Tour is one of the strongest professional golf tours in the world and 2016 will see their global presence boosted with their first visit to Fiji,” the organisation said.
“This new co-sanctioning relationship is set to attract a stronger field, with more nationalities represented than ever before when the tournament is played at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course from October 6 to 9.”
