Visit Wales

1
Visit Wales Golf Marketing

• Claire Sanders
• Senior Brand Executive
• Claire Carew
• Senior Golf Development Marketing Executive
• North Wales Golf Forum
• February 2011

2
What we will cover today

• The 2010 Ryder Cup the end of the beginning
• Visit Wales golf marketing programme 2011
• - Consumer activity
• - Media Relations
• - Working with golf tour operators
• Key opportunities

3
The 2010 Ryder Cup

• The Ryder Cup - Not just a three day event in
  Newport, South Wales but a ten year opportunity
  to
• - Raise Wales international profile
• - Raise the profile of Wales as a golf
  destination
• - Increase the value and volume of golf
  tourism to Wales
• A Welsh Ryder Cup, not a Ryder Cup in Wales

4
The 2010 Ryder Cup

• A brilliant event, the greatest Ryder Cup ever.
  Deric Henderson, Irish Press Association
• Unbelievable. it has certainly put Wales on the
  golfing map. Nicola Sands, BSI Speedway
• Totally unforgettable. So much emotion, so much
  fun a real Welsh touch Didier Allaz, UEFA
• Wales did itself proud! All of the comments
  from our customers were overwhelmingly positive
  about the service and hospitality of the Welsh
  people. Thank you Wales!
• Bill Hogan, Wide World of Golf

5
The 2010 Ryder Cup

• The finale seemed to make it all so perfect, and
  will ensure that Wales 2010 will be remembered
  not only for all the right reasons but as one of
  the greatest sporting dramas of all time!
• Nic Brooke, Daily Mirror

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A Welsh Ryder Cup
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A Welsh Ryder Cup
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A New Chapter

• We have to ensure that we keep Golf in Wales in
  front of three key groups
• 1. Consumers
• 2. Media
• 3. Tour Operators

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A New Chapter

• Target markets
• - UK
• - Ireland and USA
• - Northern Europe
• Retain the positioning for Wales as a golf
  destination
• Golf as it should be

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Consumer Activity

• Golf Wales guide updated edition March 2011
• Updating Golf website www.golfasitshouldbe.com
• Direct marketing programme to golf database
• Golf specific activity in international markets
  where campaign
• activity already planned (Ireland, Germany,
  USA/Canada tbc)
• Six month programme of activity with a media
  partner eg Golf Monthly

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Consumer Activity

• Presence at Golf Live (May 2011)
• Year long programme of activity with
  europeantour.com
• - display advertising
• - competitions
• - database mailings
• - e-news features
• - destination features
• Presence at 11 golf tournaments (May-Sept 2011)

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2011 Tournament Programme

• May
• BMW Championship, Wentworth
• June
• Celtic Manor Wales Open
• BMW International, Munich, Germany
• July
• Alstom Open de France, Paris, France
• Nordea Scandinavian Masters, Stockholm, Sweden
• British Seniors Open, Walton Heath
• Womens British Open, Carnoustie, Scotland (tbc)
• August
• Irish Open, Killarney, Ireland
• Johnnie Walker Championship, Gleaneagles,
  Scotland
• September
• Omega European Masters, Crans Montana,
  Switzerland

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Media Relations Programme

• Maintain relationship with key media via Visit
  Wales media relations team and appointed agencies
  (UK, USA Canada, Germany, France, Italy
  Spain, Netherlands)
• Maintain relationship with VisitBritain media
  teams in key markets
• Host media reception at PGA Golf Show, Jan 2011
• Host European Golf Travel Media Association
  visit, June 2011
• Hold first Ryder Cup anniversary media visit
  (Sept/Oct 2011)
• Target 30 golf media visits during 2011 (10 of
  overall target)

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Visit Wales - Media Relations Programme
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Trade/B2B Activity

• Working with golf tour operators
• Working closely with International Golf Tour
  Operators Association (IAGTO)
• - to establish a Wales chapter
• - Wales familiarisation visit, June 2011
• Attendance at 2011 International Golf Travel
  Market (Nov 2011)
• - 35 appointments with international golf tour
  operators
• - partner opportunities
• Closer working relationships with other golf tour
  operator associations in our key markets
• - North American Golf Tour Operators
  Association
• - Irish Golf Tour Operators Association

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Trade/B2B Activity

• New travel trade website www.traveltrade.visitwale
  s.com
• Golf specific section for golf tour operators
• Golf courses, itineraries, news, image resources

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Trade/B2B Activity

• Marketing partnership with a key UK and a key
  USA golf tour operator
• Golf tour operator resource pack (dvds, images,
  logos, web links)
• In Wales golf tour operator support Golf cluster
  support and marketing opportunities
• eg Snowdonia Golf Coast
• Golf Coast North Wales
• Golf North Wales

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Thank you for listening Over to Claire
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Existing opportunities

• 1. IAGTO - Wales Chapter
• 2. Currently making changes to
  www.golfasitshouldbe.com
• VW aims to make it more active with blogs, more
  news, footage and testimonials we need your
  help
• What are benefits of this site?
• Our marketing campaigns are all designed around
  this strapline so this is where your potential
  customers are being sent
• Free advertising
• When Golf Wales is googled Golf As It Should
  Be comes up first.
• Google juice - improving your ranking on google
• We received 88,000 hits between February 2010 to
  February 2011 with 88 of these new visits
• How to update your club or cluster details
• 1. Via web-site 2. e-mail
  caroline.davies_at_wales.gsi.gov.uk
• 3. Image centre

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Update

• Ryder Cup Celebration competition - Best Golf
  Club event
• Winner Southerndown Golf Club
•  
• Staged the RCW Welsh Young Professionals
  Championship in May  
• Created a page on our website detailing links
  between Southerndown and the Ryder Cup
•  Played a Men's Ryder Cup 'match' on 24th July
•  Played a Ladies' Ryder Cup 'match' on 20th
  September  
• Staged a Ryder Cup 'match' on 29th September
  between 5 members and 5 visitors from Baltimore
•  Produced a Souvenir Brochurewhich was given to
  each of over 400 visitors who played Southerndown
  during the Ryder Cup 'fortnight'.
• Produced a special Welsh-flavoured Ryder Cup menu

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Update

• Visit Wales continues to be a member of ING
  (International Network of Golf)
• ING is a Media based association that networks
  the golf industry
• Benefits
• - VW attended the PGA show in Orlando and this
  provides an invaluable opportunity for VW to have
  a presence and showcase our regions and clubs
  amongst golf tour operators, consumers and golf
  travel writers.
• - ING annual awards recognises
  outstanding achievement in the golf business.
• 2010 winner of the Public Relations/Promotions
  award went to Visit Wales for its Ryder Cup
  Promotions.

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To Conclude-

• From the day the 2010 Ryder Cup was awarded to
  the Celtic Manor in Wales, the host country had
  one major goal in mind introduce itself as THE
  hidden gem among all of the worlds golf
  destinations.
• Visit Wales marketing guru Roger Pride and his
  team developed a well-conceived plan, based on
  the theme Golf As It Should Be. They built a
  marketing fund that would allow them to reach all
  the key markets around the world. They traveled
  tirelessly to spread the message.
• And throughout the entire six- year campaign they
  carried out the plan with a humbleness, passion
  and sense of humour that is reflective of the
  entire Wales citizenship. This professional
  effort laid the foundation for what was bound to
  be a huge success. Then mother nature took over.
• The first thing American viewers saw when they
  tuned in on that first day of the competition was
  a course under siege . Rains pounded the 2010
  course, and umbrellas dominated the landscape
  (only steve asmen was smiling). Play was delayed,
  the schedule was turned upside down, and suddenly
  the talk turned from Wales as a wonderful golf
  destination to rainsuits that helped soak the
  American teams chances.
• But thank goodness the sun came out on the final
  day, shining its light on a thrilling finish to
  the Ryder Cup, and putting a glow on the final
  impressions of Wales.
• Europe won the Ryder Cup , but the real winner
  was Wales, and all of the courses, hotels and
  businesses fueled by golf in that beautiful
  country. No host country has embraced the Ryder
  Cup as did Wales. Never has a Ryder Cup played
  such a significant role in the branding and
  marketing of a destination as did 2010. And
  rarely has a golf marketing plan been as well
  conceived and conducted as Visit Wales effort
  surrounding the Ryder Cup.
• Three cheers to our friends in Wales . This years
  Ryder Cup was truly Golf as it should be.
• Mike Jamison E.D for ING

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Thanks you for listening

• Contact details
• Claire Carew
• Tel [phone]
• E-mail claire.carew_at_wales.gsi.gov.uk
• Claire Sanders
• Tel [phone]
• E-mail claire.sanders_at_wales.gsi.gov.uk
• www.golfasitshouldbe.com