Scotland has been “the ultimate place to be” for generations of elite golfers.
After all, it is the home of golf – imbued with a sense of heritage that can’t be found anywhere else.
But despite the abundance of courses all across the country, international sport fans tend to associate golf first and foremost with St Andrews.
This has been until recently at least, with north-east spots such as Cruden Bay, Balmedie and Aberdeen now starting to make an appearance in the top charts.
And this week, golf travel agents from around the globe flocked to the Granite City to see what the region has to offer first hand during Scottish Golf Tourism Week.
Now in its second year, the event brings more than 90 international operators and 100 local suppliers together in a bid to promote golf tourism in the north-east.
It’s part of a grand plan to plug around £3 million into the local economy in the long-run, as more tourists pick Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as their golf destination.
And after five days of trips and presentations – and a few games of golf – operators had a lot to say about what the area’s biggest draws are.
‘We’ll promote the hidden gems Aberdeenshire has for golf tourists’
The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen’s west end is heaving with travel agents when I walk in.
There are around 3,700 one-to-one meetings planned for that day, where operators get to ask questions and find out more about a range of golf courses, hotels and restaurants.
The hope is that this will show travel agents why the region is “one of the best” in a bid to lure more international tourists to the north-east.
And given the positive response to the event so far, the plan seems to be working.
Daniel Jones works for a tourism company in Florida, promoting holiday packages for the best courses across the world to his American clients.
St Andrews is usually the most popular golf destination for his customers, he says.
But in recent years he has started to push Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen as an option, as he thinks the area is of better quality and better value than many other spots.
“I really think this is an overlooked area, and it can come as a bit of a shock given how popular Scotland is,” Daniel tells me in-between appointments.
“People might know the Trump golf course, for example, or Cruden Bay, and they are some of the finest in the world.
“But there are also these underrated places that are still to be explored – you got Merker, and Fraserburgh, and Peterhead, all great courses that nobody has heard of.
“And if I have a client who is looking for something different, something they haven’t experienced before – I would sincerely recommend Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.”
His comrade from Switzerland, Kenny Prevost, nods in agreement, adding that they are determined to give these “overlooked” Aberdeenshire places the attention they deserve.
And then they are whisked off to their appointments with yet another golf provider, ready to woo them into sending over more tourists our way.
‘Golf tourism in Aberdeenshire is only going to get bigger and better’
The next “explorer” I stop is Donncha Hurley, whose trip to the north-east had been a lot shorter than Daniel’s and Kenny’s.
Having worked for the Irish firm Thru The Links for years, Donncha has a wealth of experience with Scottish tourism and is no stranger to the wonders of Aberdeenshire.
But even so, trips like this tend to remind him why the north-east and the Highlands are among the first places he would pitch to his American clientele.
“You can’t get that level of experience anywhere else – the culture, the history, the traditions – and my American clients know that,” Donncha smiles.
“They don’t have anything like this in the US.
“There is obvious commitment to making things better here – whether that is sourcing the food or training the staff – and this is what makes places like this stand out.
“You can see people care from the thoughtfulness, the gifts, the attention to detail and that gives us confidence to put out clients into their hands.
“And I think it’s only going to get bigger and better.”
‘A whole new world’ revealed to golf tour operators from across the world
In a way, going around the hall at the Chester Hotel feels almost as if travelling the world – all within a few hours and without having to endure the jet lag.
In just 15 minutes, I meet Frans Gschwind who has flown all the way from the Netherlands to see what Scotland has to offer, as well as Xavier Sabria from Spain.
This is the first time they have visited the north-east, and were both amazed that so many “fantastic” golf courses across Aberdeenshire are unknown to them.
The area is a “newly discovered gem” for Frans, while Xavier said he is already planning a trip back to explore more of Scotland.
The language barrier with Xavier did prove to be a challenge, but if we go by his cheerful demeanour and the wide grin on his face, I think he “really loved it”.
Is Aberdeenshire better than St Andrews for golf tourism?
The variety of golf tourism options and the quality of what’s on offer in Aberdeenshire appear to come as a surprise to more people than just those travelling from abroad.
Kenny Crawford had come from St Andrews, which by this point has been mentioned several times as “the usual go-to for international golf tourists”.
But Kenny can barely contain his excitement of how much more and better experiences there are in the north-east.
“It’s been such an eye-opening experience for us,” Kenny says enthusiastically.
“I didn’t realise the absolute quality that is on offer in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas – and I genuinely can’t believe the value for money.
“And now, I would have to go back and re-do my website to package this whole new area that I’ve come to know is unmissable because it’s such a good opportunity.”
Why Spanish tourists would swap sunny home for a trip in Scotland?
I take a quick stroll across the bustling hall – determined to avoid the huge platters with mouth-watering treats on nearby tables – when I meet Francisco Martos.
The moment he tells me he is from Spain, I instantly think this would perhaps be the toughest sell to make. After all, who would like to swap sun for rain and wind…
But Francisco couldn’t say a bad word about his experience in Scotland, hailing the countryside and golf courses in Aberdeenshire as “one of the best”.
“I tried to bring some sun from the south and I think I’ve succeeded,” he grins.
“And in terms of what I’ve seen so far, let’s just say that we will definitely be looking to sell even more trips to this area.”
But here comes the inevitable question: How do you pitch rainy Aberdeen to people who are used to the warmth and delicacies of sunny Spain?
“Good question,” Francisco chuckles.
“Sometimes it’s not just about the place – it’s about the people, the experience, the culture, the history, the food.
“And can I just say that I’ve been so impressed with the food. Haggis may not be my thing really, but the fresh fruit, the cream, everything else has been excellent.
“You can most certainly expect me to be a great ambassador of your part of the world.”
From Hong Kong to Aberdeenshire – ‘the place of splendid views’
By this point I have been on my feet for more than three hours, with the pain of my long walk in heels slowly but successfully starting to creep in.
It’s not until I meet Jeffrey Ouyang that I start to feel better about my ordeal.
He has travelled nearly 6,000 miles from Hong Kong to expand his horizons and extend the offering list for his clients in China.
They know all about Scotland, he tells me, but that tends to be limited to golf at St Andrews (again) and Highland whisky.
Like with many other operators, Aberdeenshire had remained hidden from his professional field of vision until he crossed the Chester Hotel’s doorstep.
And now, he is determined to take his experience back home and spread the word about “this amazing place of great views, culture and community”.
“People come can play some golf, enjoy nature and drink whisky all in one place, what’s not to like?” Jeffrey says.
“It’s beautiful, friendly and very cheery. It’s just the perfect place to slow down, relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, the nature and the history there is here.”
He adds: “Hong Kong is very modern and all you see when you go there is just buildings, next to buildings, next to buildings. While here, you can actually see the skyline.
“It’s so different, and this is exactly why I like it so much. It’s the place to be.”
And on that note, I shake hands with Jeffrey, conclude my journey across the world and head back to The P&J office.
I suddenly feel the urge to pick up golfing myself…
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