Biloxi, February 17, 2010:  While Mardi Gras celebrations are all over the Gulf Coast this week – the golf industry is celebrating golf tourism bookings being up for spring season.  Golf tourists as far away as Europe are booking tee-times and rooms at area hotels this spring at a pace of 12% ahead of last year. Consumer’s behavior has changed and they are booking so late, this increase could grow.  A recent Golf Digest study found that golfers take 60% more trips and travel 62% more days than the typical affluent traveler and they took an estimated 14 million golf vacations & spent an estimated $22 billion on travel. Based on sustaining that 12% increase, this could mean 3200 more room nights and an additional 2.6 million in economic impact.

When golf visitor’s travel to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, only 20% of those expenditures is on golf, but 80% is spent on rooms at area hotels, dining at area restaurants, transportation at the local airport and entertainment including gaming.”Golf provides a tremendous economic impact and its impact is felt far beyond the golf course,” says Kevin Drum, Executive Director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Association, “Also – golf visitors come from farther away and stay longer than the typical visitor and are an attractive demographic because they are committed to golf tourism even when the economy isn’t doing well,” says Drum. 

The Coast Golf Tourism Partnership, managed by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Association, has over 40 hotels, casinos, condos and golf packagers as associate members. The lodging partners work together with the 14 area golf courses which fund it to increase golf tourism’s economic impact with the support of county and state tourism officials. The golf partnership produces the Official Golf Package Planner of the MS Gulf Coast, the Official Gulf Coast Golf Trail Guide and distributes over 100,0000 yearly under the trademarked brand “Golf Coast” Mississippi. This, combined with attending 16 golf consumer shows in the Mid-West, drives golf visitors to the partnerships web site – www.Golfcoast.com.  This effort has earned the golf partnership over 40 awards for their efforts including “Tourism Promotion of the Year” from Governor Haley Barbour in 2005. “The entire Gulf Coast benefits from golf tourism visitors and our association’s goal has been to increase golf’s economic impact,” says Mike Buckley, President of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Association, “this is a clear sign its working,” says Buckley.  

For more info on the Coast Golf Tourism Partnership or to request a FREE Golf Package Planner or a FREE Golf Package Quote go to www.GolfCoast.com or call 228-374-GOLF.

The Preserve - Hole 14

Bridges Golf Club by Palmer

We are one of the only golf destinations in the world to have two courses receiving this designation as a Certified Silver Audubon International Signature Sanctuary with the Jerry Pate designed Preserve Golf Club receiving it in May 2007 and  The Bridges, an Arnold Palmer design, was the first resort golf course in the world to be granted silver status by Audubon International. The Preserve is also ranked by both Golf Digest and GolfWeek as the #6 Best New Course in America. Grand Bear, a Jack Nicklaus design, has hosted Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf and was awarded Golf Digest 100 Greatest Public-Access Golf Courses and is also ranked as Golf Week’s Best 21 Casino Courses, Best Courses You Can Play, Top Resort Courses and America’s Best Public-Access Courses for Mississippi. Shell Landing, a Davis Love III design, has received many accolades including 4 ½ Stars by Golf Digest and in 2003 issue was ranked #5 in America in the Best New Upscale Public category. The Oaks, a Landmark Design, was awarded 4 ½ Stars by Golf Digest and “Top 10” Courses in Mississippi by Golf Digest and hosted the PGA’s Nike Tour. We have golf to fit every skill level and every budget – a real golf Mecca along the Gulf of Mexico. Sunkist, a classic and the only course on the Biloxi peninsula, with its fast champion’s greens. When you add the rest of the golf inventory, we have golf to fit every skill level and every budget – a real golf Mecca along the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi National which hosted a Buy.com Tour event. Diamondhead Country Club, the only 36 hole facility on the coast and our largest semi-private club, Pass Christian Isles, nicknamed “The Isles” by locals, with its historic classic design and small greens. Dogwood Hills Golf Club which was designed for the local and those that like to walk.  

To Book a Tee-Time live at 13 “Golf Coast” golf courses on line CLICK HERE!

To Request a Golf Package Quote at over 40 Casino Resorts, Hotels, Condos or Golf Package Providers CLICK HERE!

In 2001 golf courses had a basic idea – fund a program that increased golf package room nights at area hotels. What started as a simple mission to unite the area golf courses with hotels and tourism entities has now accumulated over 22 awards, become the region’s #1 golf web-site and developed a nationally recognized brand seen by millions.

The “Golf Coast” Mississippi brand was created to market the three coastal counties as one “world class” golf destination to bring more golfers to the coast.  Last week the Mississippi Gulf Coast Golf Association’s partnership received Silver ADDY Award from the regional chapter of the American Advertising Federation for interactive media for their new Come Play ARound campaign.

The winning campaign was designed to showcase several of the area non-golf activities that golfers would enjoy while on a golf trip to the Coast. In addition, the promotion subtly reminds golfers of things they can’t do in competitive destinations, like deep-sea fish in Las Vegas or enjoy casinos in Myrtle Beach. “I accepted this award on behalf of the golf courses that funded the program and the hotels, casinos, tourism entities and state tourism that supported this program,” says Kevin Drum, executive director of the golf association who manages the Coast Golf Tourism Partnership.

While most visitors to the coast are from neighboring states, promoting the area through golf is an excellent way to expand visitation beyond our primary feeder markets, since golfers have proven that they are willing to travel internationally and nationally to play the sport they love. In a recent study conducted by Jon Last and the Golf Digest’s Research Resource Center, research found that on average golfers take 60% more trips and travel 62% more days than the typical affluent traveler.  This higher propensity to travel holds across the board for business, pleasure and combined travel.  According to the study, golfers also take nearly twice as many flights as the typical affluent traveler. Golf is the #1 activity of the affluent traveler. According to the Mississippi Develop Authority tourism study, golfers are the most lucrative tourism segment with $1,471 in total expenditures per golfer, per visit.

“Golf tourism has one of the largest direct financial impacts on the coast, with nearly $25 million in tourism spending. “While our spring is flat compared to last year, we did see double digit growth until the downturn in December and we expect to finish up when our fiscal year ends April 30th – one of the few industries to even project a increase,” says Drum.   

Golf is one of the few activities that benefits all three counties and will be the key in tourism’s long-term recovery. “If we all work together we can not only confront this economic downturn – but take advantage of this opportunity to gain golf tourism market share,” says Drum.

For more information go to www.Golfcoast.com or www.ComePlayARound.com or to view a FREE Official Golf Package Guide go to www.GolfCoast.com/2009guide or for a FREE Gulf Coast Golf Trail guide go to www.GolfCoast.com/2009trail or call 866-393-GOLF.

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Helping build homes for the needy and supporting Junior Golf!

Nearly 20 PGA Tour Players had a little bit more to give after the last putt dropped on the last event of the PGA Tour in Orlando. After a grueling season of travel I am sure most wanted to go home and see their families, but instead they made one more stop and boarded planes and flew to Biloxi to help PGA Tour Official, and Biloxi native, Mickey Bradley and Habitat for Humanity raise money to build homes. Shell Landing, a Davis Love III Championship Course, hosted the event the previous two years with great reviews. Tim Herron said “it reminds meof of Pinehurst.” Jerry Kelly - who hosted the event the previous two years, was there enjoy the gumbo and the fried oysters - but mostly - happy about impacting families with new homes. Thanks to support of eighty players each year who pay to play with the generous professionals like Kelly, Heron, Durant, Gibson, Tway, Petrovic and many more it really doesn’t matter who wins  because everyone wins. For more info go to www.hfhmgc.org.