Golf tourism in the UAE goes for the green

The UAE is keen to establish itself as a leading golf tourism destination, and it is sparing no expense to accomplish its goal.

Millions of dollars are being lavished on top-notch courses, big-name designers, and world-class tournaments to attract golf tourists from around the world.

And with great weather, a central location, and beautiful courses on offer, the future looks very bright for golf in the Arabian desert.

The development of golf is still in the early stages in the UAE, with relatively little impact on the overall bottom line of the country's tourism industry, as there are only 10 grass courses in operation, according to Andrea Sartori, KPMG's Head of Golf Advisory Practice in Europe, Middle-East and Africa.

However, golf in the UAE is gaining notoriety worldwide, and with more than 20 golf developments currently in the pipeline, it will soon be a major contributor to the country's tourism economy.

St John Kelliher, Director of Business Development for Dubai Golf, believes golf is already a huge aspect of the UAE's tourism sector. He says the UAE is an attractive destination for golfers because it offers world-class courses, sunny weather, and great hospitality.

Dubai's location at the 'centre of the world' makes it very attractive for golf tourists, along with the fact that it provides a unique cultural experience. Dubai's golf tourism industry also gets a boost from the large number of conventions and trade shows that are held each year, and from the continued expansion of Emirates Airlines. 'Every time the airline opens up a new destination it opens up a new market for Dubai,' Kelliher noted.

UAE golf course developers are spending freely to sign up big-name designers to help bring worldwide notoriety to their offerings. Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Gary Player, and Ernie Els are among the famous golfers who are lending their design talents - and prestige - to new courses in the UAE.

In another major coup, Dubai will be the site of the world's richest golf tournament, the $10m Dubai World Championship, beginning in 2009 on the Jumeirah Golf Estates, which is currently under construction. The European Tour's Order of Merit has also been renamed The Race to Dubai.

'These developments will soon place the UAE on the world map as one of the foremost golf tourism destinations,' Sartori said.

High fees

Golf tourism in the UAE is on the rise despite the high costs associated with travel in the country. 'Over the past year through September, golf business is up five per cent year on year, which is impressive when you take into consideration how expensive Dubai is,' Kelliher said. He says it can be difficult for a tour operator to book a golf package to Dubai because hotel rates in the emirate are so high.

Golf fees in Dubai are by no means cheap either. Despite the weak rate of exchange of the US dollar, Dubai's golf courses are the most expensive in terms of average green fees in comparison to Europe, the rest of the Middle East, and Africa. Average weekend fees are $152, according to a recent KPMG report, compared to $63 in the UK and Eire.

For his part, Kelliher believes golf fees in Dubai are mid-priced compared to the European market and provide better value than courses in Europe. He said fees are higher in Dubai because there are fewer courses to choose from and the quality of each course is top-notch.

'I believe Dubai offers a better product. It is becoming the most exclusive golf destination in the world. Of the top 30 golfers in the world, 50 per cent will have signature courses in Dubai over the next four to five years,' he said.

With so many new golf developments being planned for Dubai, will existing courses be able to maintain their price structure? Kelliher believes the answer is 'yes,' due to strong demand. 'We do our research to determine if our prices are competitive,' he noted.

David Milican, Group General Manager at Net Golf, a one-stop shop for booking golf holidays in the region, believes golf fees in Dubai will remain high because of the high demand and the world-class quality of the courses. 'I don's see budget courses happening here in Dubai,' he said. For golfers with smaller pockets, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi offer courses that are less expensive, but still provide high quality, he noted.

Attracting big spenders

From an economic standpoint, golfers are precisely the kind of tourists that hotels and merchants want to attract. 'The golfer is the highest spender to have at your destination anywhere in the world,' Kelliher pointed out.

Dubai sees most of its golfers from Northern Europe, the UK, and Ireland. However, it is turning its eyes east to the emerging markets of India and China, as income levels in these countries continue to grow. 'When people become affluent, they tend to become golfers,' Kelliher said. It is believed that more golf tourists will also be arriving from America once Tiger Woods completes his new course in Dubai.

Interestingly, golf tourism does not tend to benefit greatly from repeat business. Once golfers have played a course they tend to want to try a new one out, similar to a climber who has reached the top of a mountain, Kelliher explains. However, with more new courses being planned, there is more opportunity for visitors to return to the UAE to play different courses.

Four Seasons golf in Dubai

In 2007, Four Seasons announced its first golf offering in the Middle East, the Four Seasons Golf & Country Club at Dubai Festival City. The club has incorporated the Al Badia golf course, which was designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones II.

Golf will be the key attraction at the adjacent Four Seasons Hotel Dubai, which is under construction, said Adrienne O'Brien, sales and marketing manager at the club. 'People travel to Dubai for the exceptional and consistent weather. Outdoor activities are a favourite for any traveller, so golf will be an important recreation option to provide to our visitors,' she said.

Dubai's reputation as a global golfing destination is growing fast, both in the eyes of the consumer and the golf-bookers, O'Brien noted. She believes this reputation will strengthen with strong names and brands involved in designing and managing Dubai's courses.

The Four Seasons club sees an equal mix of Dubai-based golfers and international golfers, while the foreign players tend to be from the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. As the weather can be unforgiving in the four summer months, these tend to be low season for Dubai's courses. As such, summer is the best time for golfers to take advantage of cheaper golf play and coaching packages, she advises.