The Western Cape’s natural paradise has been recognised as the 2016 Golf Destination of the Year for Africa and the Gulf States by the global trade association of the golf tourism industry, IAGTO.

Golf tour operators from South Africa who were present and exhibiting at the 2016 IGTM (International Golf Travel Market) collected the award on behalf of the Western Cape at the IAGTO Awards Gala Dinner held in Palma, Spain.

 “It is fantastic to win this award in which we were up against the following nominees: Abu Dhabi, Agadir, Dubai and Casablanca.  I hope it will encourage more golfers to visit South Africa, and in particular the Western Cape,” said Carl Reinders, of Pro Golf Africa Safaris, speaking on behalf of the South African golf operators. “South Africa has now been awarded an IAGTO Destination or Golf Resort Award for the 7th time since 2003, which highlights just what a fantastic golf destination our beautiful country is and the wonderful golf it has to offer.”

Reinders said that with the diversity that South Africa and particularly the Western Cape provides, with quality golf, wine, cuisine, culture, beautiful landscapes and of course the opportunity for safari, makes it a unique destination that should be on everyone’s bucket list.  The fact that South Africa is also excellent value for money is an added advantage, together with the wonderful climate it has throughout most of the year.

The Western Cape has a fantastic array of golf courses, with some of the best courses in the country such as Pearl Valley, De Zalze, Erinvale and Stellenbosch Golf Club situated amongst the historical Stellenbosch and Franschhoek Winelands.

Within the city of Cape Town, courses such as Royal Cape, Clovelly, Milnerton and Atlantic Beach boast magnificent views of the famous Table Mountain.  Arabella Resort and Spa, situated on the Western Cape’s Whale Coast, is also a past winner of the prestigious “Golf Resort of the Year” award presented by IAGTO, and combined with Hermanus Golf Club and the opportunity to see Southern Right Whales nursing their young is just another unique experience on offer in this beautiful part of South Africa.  The city of Cape Town, which is at the centre of this fantastic region, is one of the most celebrated tourism destinations in the world.

The IAGTO Awards were established in 2000 to reward exceptional contributions to the world of golf travel.  IAGTO’s 500+ golf tour operators from 62 different countries cast their votes for these Awards. Each operator was asked to nominate what they considered to be the best performing golf destinations this year enjoyed by their golf travelling clients.

The golf destination in each of the five regions with most votes receives the 2017 Golf Destination of the Year accolade. Operators were asked to consider the following criteria: customer satisfaction, quality of golf courses & accommodation, value for money, professional conduct of suppliers, support from the local tourism industry and accessibility to tee times.

For more information about the 2017 IAGTO Awards and to download high resolution photos and logos, please visit: www.iagto.com/awards

For more information about golf in the Western Cape, contact David Frost, on david@satsa.co.za

ENDS