Newsletter May 2016

European Golf & Travel Media Association

We are now well underway in the year and EGTMA members have already had the opportunity to participate in three events.

For our first event, we visited the Algarve region in Portugal where the NAU Hotels & Resorts were the hosts to 16 EGTMA members from all over Europe. Under glorious sunshine, we stayed at the Morgado Golf Resort, inland from Portimao and played both Morgado as well as Alamos. The first night and during a welcome dinner attended by NAU staff, we took time to look back at some of the sights, sounds, experiences, past members and shared memories of 10 years EGTMA. The next morning, we headed for the coast where we stayed at the 5* Salgados Dunas Suites and in extremely windy conditions took on the Florida styled Salgados course. The NAU Hotels & Resorts showcased their courses, hotels and culinary delights as we were treated to some exquisite meals accompanied by some excellent Portuguese wines. Many articles have already been written and published, much to the delight of the NAU staff involved in the organisation of this event.

Following this highly successful event, we headed North West to Ireland for our 7th event along the Wild Atlantic Way organised by the North & West Coast Links Marketing association. The EGTMA first ever event took place in 2006 and took us from Royal County Down over to Portrush and down to Portsalon, Rosapenna and Ballyliffin. What a way to start our association! This April, Donegal, Enniscrone, Carne, Connemara and Galway Bay hosted EGTMA members from all over the continent. The accommodation and food seems to get better and better with every year that passes and that particular coastline is truly worthy of a visit !

Our third event this year saw 18 members return to Belgium invited by Martin’s Hotels. To stay at their landmark property Chateau Du Lac in Genval is always a treat and playing Enghien, Hulencourt and Mont Garni showcased some of the golf that is available around the various Martin’s Hotels. It is always great for me, being from Belgium, realising how underrated golf in Belgium is. Unfortunately, it takes a private initiative to support my views and expose what we have to offer golf wise to the European media and provide golfers from all over with a taste of golf in Belgium.

We are working hard on providing some more events this year and are waiting on some confirmations.

I can only stress that the success of the EGTMA relies entirely on our members and what they produce as coverage. This allows me to go out and explain destinations what we can bring and how we can promote their destination, resort, hotel and golf course to a worldwide audience.

I will keep all of you updated on our program for the second half of the year. 

Have a good summer,

Jo Maes
President of the EGTMA

And remember ... You have to be the first to create the news !