“It’s slightly different to what was planned but the reality remains that from a media perspective it is still an unbelievable platform, the Irish Open,” Donnelly said. It is also why Fáilte Ireland in conjunction with the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) last week went digital to hold its sixth annual Golf Ireland Convention online. “So it’s been an enormous administrative task but one the golf industry here in Ireland has absolutely embraced and done an amazing job in delivering that rescheduling.”Donnelly is also confident golf tourism can rebound from a potentially devastating year for the industry. Between 2008 and 2012, during one of our worst economic experiences of a generation, golf tourism into Ireland grew on average by six per cent year on year against a climate where general tourism declined. “So I think the golf tourism industry has shown itself to be very resilient and I’ve no doubt it will be very resilient again.

Source: Irish Examiner September 22, 2020 06:30 UTC