SHOWCASING SCOTLAND’S GOLF TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES

Photo: Royal Dornoch Struie Course Salt Marsh Restoration Project

ROYAL Dornoch general manager Neil Hampton believes the decision to rotate the annual Scottish Golf Tourism Week around the country is already paying dividends. 

Last year, Inverness was selected to host an event which celebrates the best Scotland has to offer in golf tourism opportunities and the countdown has begun to this year’s event in Aberdeen from March 18-20. 

Hundreds of golf tour operators will be among those in attendance and March 20 sees the 2025 Scottish Golf Tourism Awards gala dinner at the P&J Live arena in the Granite City. 

The Championship Course was hailed Scotland’s Best Course (green fee over £250) last year and Royal Dornoch has been shortlisted for Best Sustainability Project for pioneering work restoring the Dornoch Firth salt marshes flanking the Struie Course. 

“It has been encouraging to see Scottish Golf Tourism Week moving around the country,” said Neil. 

“It was usually held in St Andrews every year and while that may be recognised as the Home of Golf, Scotland enjoys a wealth of wonderful golf courses, and this annual event is helping showcase all we have to offer. 

“When you have a proven model which works in a location year after year it would have been easy to stick with it.  

“So hats off to DC Thomson for saying they wanted to take this major industry gathering around the country. 

“When they have a bit of spare time on their hands, the inbound golf tour operators from more than 30 countries – and others in the industry – are going to seize the opportunity to go on familiarisation trips. 

“I know there has been very positive feedback from the event being held in Inverness last year and I’m sure it will be the same for Aberdeen and the north-east. 

“In addition to networking opportunities with club representatives, nearly 100 tour operators discovered how easy it was to get to somewhere like Inverness – and appreciate the fantastic golf courses we have in the Highlands beyond well-known names like Royal Dornoch, Nairn and Cabot Highlands. 

“They travelled the journey we want their clients to go on and discovered for themselves how much investment has gone into our hotel infrastructure in recent years. 

“They got to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery we have here in the Highlands and that is a big selling point.”