Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority is teeing up an ambitious golf tourism drive to strengthen the UAE capital’s standing as a world-class golfing destination.

The plan will target expanding golf markets in Europe, China, India and across the GCC as well as across the United Arab Emirates.

Pitching the extensive promotional push to the emirate’s golf industry partners, TCA Abu Dhabi is set to get into full swing through the establishment of a powerful Industry Development Committee, supported by Abu Dhabi’s leading golf courses, tour operators, hoteliers and destination promotion agencies, which will work together to fulfil the emirate’s expanding golf tourism ambitions.

Targeting a wide range of consumer and travel trade marketing and awareness building activities, a new dedicated golf portal will be the focus of the marketing drive for golf enthusiasts and serve as a one-stop-shop to connect them with a range of golf holiday options.

It will also offer direct booking tools connected directly to the emirate’s golf industry professionals.

The IDC is also focussed on facilitating extensive networking opportunities for the leading golf courses and tour operators, driving engagement across the board ahead of the build up to the busy winter golfing season across the emirate.

“Abu Dhabi is now perceived as one of the world’s foremost golf destinations, and through our Golf In Abu Dhabi initiative, we have been able to attract visitors to the emirate to enjoy our golfing experience by growing awareness of the diversity of our courses to develop the golf tourism sector,” said Sameer Taher Bagaber, section manager, strategy and policy department, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“Our international golfing footprint is also widening and visitors are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how they research and book their stay, so by expanding the availability of golf information and direct booking access via the visitabudhabi.ae website represents a significant regional competitive advantage and broadens the opportunity to extend our golf tourism message to other regular website users,” added Bagaber.

With over 4.5 million visits and over 100,000 active users of the associated mobile apps, visitabudhabi.ae will host individual pages for each of the emirate’s golf clubs in nine languages, and will be supported by a dedicated packages section and offer the opportunity to book rounds directly with the individual golf clubs.