IAGTO’s Golf Tourism Awards gain ‘Gulf’ based Sponsor

Leading Gulf-based airline Etihad Airways will sponsor the 14th annual IAGTO Awards being held by global golf tourism organisation IAGTO in Spain’s Costa Daurada.

The IAGTO Awards, which have been held annually since 2000, are widely recognised as the ”Oscars” of the global golf tourism industry and reward the best-performing golf destinations and golf resorts worldwide. This year also sees the introduction of new Sustainability Awards.

Announcing the partnership with Etihad, IAGTO chief executive Peter Walton said: “We are delighted to welcome Etihad Airways as the sponsor of the 2014 IAGTO Awards. IAGTO and Etihad already have a well-established relationship with Etihad being the first airline to join our IAGTO Preferred Airline scheme back in 2005 when we began recognising those airlines that carried golf bags free of charge in addition to standard baggage allowance.

“Etihad was also the official airline for our Asia Golf Tourism Convention in Pattaya, Thailand, this year and will be so again next year at Mission Hills Haikou, in China.”

Walton added: “Abu Dhabi itself won our Golf Destination of the Year Award for 2012 – for the Africa, Indian Ocean & Gulf States category – and has become a big draw for golfers from both east and west. Not only does Etihad service an award-winning golf destination but via its centrally-located hub, Etihad flies to 35 established golf destinations and 25 outbound golf traveller markets.”

The IAGTO Awards sponsored by Etihad Airways are the official annual awards for the golf tourism industry. The 14th gala Awards evening takes place on Thursday, 14th November 2013, at the Tarragona Placa De Tores, Tarragona, Costa Daurada, Spain on the last day of the International Golf Travel Market. The new Sustainability Awards are the result of a collaboration between IAGTO and the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) and recognise excellence in golf course sustainability.

IAGTO www.iagto.com