This story is from November 29, 2015

Govt to revise guidelines to promote golf tourism

The ministry of tourism is all set to revise guidelines to develop and promote the country as a preferred destination for golf tourism.
Govt to revise guidelines to promote golf tourism

PUNE: The ministry of tourism is all set to revise guidelines to develop and promote the country as a preferred destination for golf tourism.
The ministry is looking at attracting both domestic and international tourists with this initiative. The plan involve holding major golfing events in the country, improving access to India's signature golf courses along with the others and work closely to make the golf courses more accessible to tourists.
The initiative also involves making the country's golf events visible abroad by providing financial assistance to the organizers. "If major golfing events of India are marketed abroad, it is bound to give a major boost to tourism here," said a senior official in the ministry.
Providing support for the development of major golf infrastructure is also part of the plan. The ministry recently also formed a core committee to develop golf tourism in the country, the India Golf Tourism Committee (IGTC). Senior ministry officials told TOI that they would support any state willing to promote golf tourism, including Maharashtra, which has significant potential in this sector.
Another senior official from the ministry told TOI that golf tourism is one of the products proposed to be developed in the recent tourism policy because it has significant potential.

"India has around 134 registered golf courses, out of which a significant number is world class but are not marketed adequately. Besides marketing these courses, the initiative involves preparing a list of all the major golf courses in India and the available residential accommodation for golf tourists among other things. Golf tourists fly to destinations especially for this sport and need accommodation. The entire deal is offered as a package," the official said.
The golf tourism committee is the nodal body for golf tourism in the country, according to the ministry. The committee functions with the aim of promoting India as a preferred golf destination and makes suggestions and recommendations in connection with the identification and grading of golf courses, approval of calendar of golf events and evaluating the need for forming and managing a corpus with contributions from various stakeholders and the Union government to promote golf tourism.
The committee is also involved in the identification of promotional materials to be developed, identification of events for participation abroad to showcasing golfing facilities in India.
Ministry officials said financial assistance would be given to conduct approved golf events in the country. For instance, to promote women's golf, the ministry would provide financial assistance for a maximum of two professional events with the upper ceiling of up to Rs 1 crore each for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the Ladies European Tour.
"For the Asian Tour, financial support of up to Rs 50 lakh would be provided. This would be in a ratio of 50:50, where 50% would be funded by the ministry of tourism based on the recommendations of golf committee during a financial year and the remaining 50% by the organizers," an official said.
In conjunction with the initiative, the ministry recently proposed to rope in golf clubs, golf event managers, state governments, approved tour operators and travel agents and corporate houses to provide financial support for golf events, golf shows, golf promotional workshops, events, annual meets and seminars which have the potential to attract large number of tourists, both domestic and international.
The MTDC too is endeavouring promoting golf tourism in the state in conjunction with the initiative of the ministry. MTDC managing director Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia said the state will get one of its biggest golf courses in Aurangabad, being built on public-private partnership. The tourism corporation has also finalized an operator for the same.
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About the Author
Neha Madaan

Neha Madaan is a senior feature writer at The Times of India, Pune. She holds an M A degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from University of Pune. She covers tourism, heritage development and its conservation, apart from an array of subjects such as civic issues, environment, astronomy, civic school education as well as social issues concerning persons with disabilities. Her interests include metaphysical research and animal rights.

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