Q: How can Middle East destinations grow their global presence by exhibiting at IGTM? The opportunity is enormous and I'd encourage Middle Eastern destinations to be bold in how they position themselves globally. IGTM offers a direct, efficient route to the world's leading golf travel buyers – the tour operators, travel agents, and trade media who shape purchasing decisions in key source markets across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. At IGTM 2025 we actively worked with regional tourism boards to help amplify the Middle East as a unified, high-end golf destination. The destinations that commit consistently year-on-year tend to be the ones that see sustained growth in international arrivals. Q: What role does IGTM play in helping Middle East-based buyers expand their product offering? Regional buyers who attend IGTM return home with a richness of product knowledge and a network of direct supplier relationships that would otherwise take years to build. In a single week they can meet course representatives from Ireland, Portugal, Morocco, Japan, and across the Americas. That breadth of access is genuinely unmatched elsewhere. As golf tourism within the Middle East also continues to grow domestically, buyers need to keep expanding and refreshing their product offering to meet the sophisticated expectations of their clients. IGTM provides exactly that platform, and the relationships formed here tend to be long-term commercial partnerships, not just one-off transactions.
Japan and South Korea are increasingly represented among our buyer community, and golf travel from these markets is growing strongly. Latin America is another region to watch closely, driven by expanding middle-class prosperity and a growing appetite for international golf experiences. On the destination side, we're seeing exciting new entrants stepping into the global conversation. Golf Saudi is a brilliant example and will be joining us as a new exhibitor in October, showcasing a destination that genuinely has everything: stunning courses, year-round sunshine, and a rich cultural offering. Central Asia and parts of Africa are also emerging as markets worth watching as infrastructure investment continues. Q: How is the Middle East evolving as a premium golf destination? The Middle East's ascent as a premium golf destination has been remarkable and, importantly, it has been underpinned by serious, sustained investment. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and increasingly Oman, have built genuinely world-class infrastructure – courses designed by the game's legends, luxury resorts that set global benchmarks, and international tournament calendars that are bringing the world's top players to the region. The year- round warm climate, particularly during the European winter months, gives Middle Eastern destinations a natural competitive advantage that they are increasingly effective at communicating to international buyers. I think the region is moving from 'emerging' to 'established' in the minds of discerning golf travellers – and the investment shows no sign of slowing.
“The era of the standalone golf trip is giving way to the premium, immersive escape”
Q: Lastly, how are IGTM Discovery and the new conference programme broadening the event for 2026? IGTM Discovery is one of the most exciting developments in the event's 28- year history, building on the success of the Discovery Zone at IGTM 2025 in Cannes, which showcased emerging brands and technologies driving the future of golf travel. Companies including Priswing, Performance54 and GolfNow generated exceptional engagement. Feedback from exhibitors and buyers was clear: the industry wants a dedicated space where innovation, technology, apparel, equipment and new business models sit alongside traditional golf travel. For 2026, we are expanding significantly. IGTM Discovery will introduce dedicated areas for technology, apparel, accessories, golf club management, equipment and merchandising, alongside an expanded audience including PGA Professionals, Golf Directors, Golf Club Managers and Pro- Shop Buyers. We are also launching a new conference programme running across all three days of the show and open to attendees from both IGTM and IGTM Discovery. It will bring golf tourism professionals together with the wider golf industry to share insight and best practice. The programme opens with a keynote from Mark Skinner, Head of Business and Management at The PGA, looking at the future of learning and professional development in golf, with further sessions covering sustainability and agronomy, the commercial case for women's golf and running a multi-revenue golf facility. Together, IGTM Discovery and the conference programme broaden the event beyond the traditional golf travel marketplace, bringing more of golf's ecosystem under one roof and creating greater opportunities to learn, connect and do business.
Below: IGTM is where the business of golf travel happens
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The global B2B golf travel community will gather in Cannes for the 28th edition of IGTM from October 19-22, 2026.
ATM YEARBOOK 2026 | 109
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