Japan Sets its Sights on the Holiday Golfer

The latest country to seek out a slice of the lucrative golfing holidays market for itself is Japan, which is promoting itself heavily as a great destination for golfers at the moment.

Earlier this month, Japan ensured it had a significant presence at the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) in Belek, Turkey. Opening on 14 November, the 14th such travel fair attracted over 1,200 visitors and hosted 450 exhibitors and 350 holiday buyers. Among these was the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Speaking about the event, JNTO head of PR and marketing Kylie Clark said: “In recent years, Japan National Tourism Organization has run promotions for skiing in Japan and Japan’s tropical Okinawa islands. Moving forward we’d next like to introduce the world to golf in Japan.”

“Our first step in doing this has been to exhibit at IGTM, the premier event for the golf travel industry.”

The idea of cheap holidays in Japan focused on golfing is a natural progression, when you note that the country has a massive 2,400 golf courses – second only to the USA. Japanese gardens are legendary for their beauty and harmony, and this tradition is also reflected in the design of the golf courses, which are far more attractive than most. They are also famously well-maintained and perfect for the strategic player, with many of them being rated among the highest in the world by golfing professionals.

This summer many of Japan’s golf courses were visited by International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) chief executive Peter Walton, who said: “Japan is in a very lucky situation. It has a wonderful golf destination, but it’s totally undiscovered. It’s great value for money. Some of the best golf you’ll play any where in the world and such wonderful combinations with culture and environment and some of the best food and wine and sake you’ll ever have.”