Golf in Flanders is the joint initiative between the Flemish Golf Federation (GolfVlaanderen) and VisitFlanders (the Flemish Tourist Board), to promote Flanders, the Northern region of Belgium, as an alternative golf destination to the international golf and travel industry.
Following the 2017 campaign to create more golf awareness for the destination Flanders culminating in being awarded the prestigious IAGTO award of ‘Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year’, GolfVlaanderen have confirmed an extension to the partnership with the EGTMA (European Golf Travel Media Association).
Marc Verneirt, Secretary General of the Flemish Golf Federation: “Our partnership with the EGTMA in general and Jo Maes in particular has undoubtedly been successful for our region. The strategy laid out to first inform the international media about the golf assets our region has, enticing the golfers / readers to challenge their travel partner to propose them Flanders as an alternative destination has been the correct one. Having been recognised by the media and the travel industry for this strategy was one of the highlights of our year and bodes well for the golf tourism future of our region.”
Already renowned for its history, culture, gastronomy and cycling, Flanders is an unknown quantity for golf but with over 50 golf courses to choose from, a round of golf is never far away from a quality meal and a great beer. Culturally vibrant cities like Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges all have their fair share of golf courses dotted around in many cases medieval historic city centres. Flanders, in the centre of Europe, is easily accessible via sea, air and road and with one of the most developed road networks on the mainland, every golf course is within easy reach. Traditional and renowned course architects like Seymour Dunn, Hawtree, Colt, Tom Simpson and Mackenzie Ross followed by Paul Rolin, Belgium’s most famous course architect, have created several masterpieces, in Royal Antwerp (Est. 1888), Royal Zoute, Royal Latem, Royal Belgian Golf Club, Rinkven G&CC, Cleydael GC and many others.
Jo Maes, President of the EGTMA, adds: “To be honest, receiving the IAGTO award was both a surprise and a great reward for all the work we did. It does give us confidence that our promotional activities and strategies for destinations are effective and work. We pride ourselves on being able to reach the majority of the international golf media and through them, the traveling golfer looking for alternative destinations. So, we are extremely delighted that GolfVlaanderen is continuing to partner with the EGTMA so that we can keep putting out the message via our members to golfers worldwide about what a great destination Flanders is.”
2018 is a great year for Golf in Flanders as the Europeantour will return to Belgium after an absence of 18 years with the Thomas Pieters’ supported Belgian Knock Out to be played in May at Rinkven Golf & Country Club just outside of Antwerp.
The continued partnership will see us commit to the media strategy to promote Flanders as a golf destination. There will be more details available over the next couple of weeks.
For more information, the website http://www.golfinflanders.com has information about golf clubs, itineraries and packages. The EGTMA has engaged with the international media and several articles have already been published describing the destination in more detail.
FLANDERS has 25 golf clubs of 18 holes or more and 27 clubs with 9 holes or less. The Belgian Open was last played in Royal Zoute in 2000 which Nick Faldo and others claimed to be one of the best courses on the then European tour rota. 2018 will see the tour returning with the Belgian Knock Out, an initiative by the Thomas Pieters’ family.
PRESS RELEASE C/O
Jo Maes | President
European Golf & Travel Media Association
jomaes@egtma.com - Tel +353.1.442.9016 - Mob +44 7483 875287
Cover pic: Spiegelven GC, Flanders.