Tourism, Turf Management The Focus For This Year's Golf And Turf Summit

The Golf Industry Association (GIA), a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2011 to promote various stakeholders of the nation's golf industry, will be staging the 11th edition of their annual Golf & Turf Summit at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune on October 17 and 18. This was announced during a Curtain Raiser press conference at the Press Club of India here on Friday. The 11th Annual Golf & Turf Summit is a pivotal event for the golf industry as it aims to foster collaboration among industry leaders, drive innovation, and promote sustainable practices.

The summit also serves as a critical platform for discussing industry trends, sharing best practices, and strengthening the collective efforts to enhance the overall golfing experience. It provides a unique opportunity for golf course owners, course managers, equipment suppliers, and other stakeholders to align their strategies and contribute to the sport's growth and sustainability.

GIA president Anirudha Seolekar announced that this year's Golf & Turf Summit will be focusing on integrating advanced turf management techniques and exploring the future of golf tourism.

"Golf tourism in India is on an upward swing. We have a rich legacy of the sport as a result of the British Raj. In the last two decades a plethora of privately-owned courses have been developed with superior member facilities.

However, there is a lot of scope to increase the awareness about them. This year's Golf & Turf Summit will be focusing on golf tourism - a key objective of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Also, there will be some very insightful panel discussions on modern turf management techniques. We will also have a congregation of industry leaders and some eminent speakers from across the globe to share their vision and understanding about the golfing ecosystem," Mr Seolekar, who is also the founder president of GIA, said.

GIA vice-president Anit Mehrotra informed that golf tourism has significantly contributed to the industry's growth over the past financial year. Mr Mehrotra noted that the influx of international visitors has boosted revenue for golf courses and increased the global profile of golf destinations.

"To cater to the growing demand from golf tourists, there has been a surge in the development and upgrading of golf courses and facilities. New investments in golf course infrastructure, such as building new courses, upgrading existing ones, and enhancing amenities, have been prevalent. This development has further stimulated the golf industry by attracting more tourists and creating a cycle of growth," Mr Mehrotra said.

GIA honorary treasurer Ravi Garyali highlighted that there have also been initiatives to introduce golf to under-represented communities through targeted programs and partnerships. Corporate sponsorships have played a crucial role in these efforts, helping to lower barriers and promote a more diverse and accessible golfing community.

Recent years have seen significant policy changes from the Government aimed at enhancing accessibility to golf. However, GIA Board member Deepali Shah Gandhi pointed out that both government bodies and corporations should become more focused on making the sport more inclusive. This includes reducing the cost of participation, investing in public golf facilities, subsidizing green fees for the youth and creating awareness about opportunities of employment in golf courses and all industries related to golf.

Further, present at the summit will be prominent bureaucrats from concerned ministries, golf course owners of the country, traders and manufacturers of golf equipment, carts, machinery and allied services.

About Golf Industry Association (GIA)

The Golf Industry Association is a promotional body formed by Golf Industry Groups in 2011 as a non-profit organization under the Indian Trusts Act 1882. The main objective of the Association is to provide a forum to co-ordinate all key sectors of Golf Industry to grow, develop and promote the game of Golf through their respective involvement. Assist to build and promote the Indian Golf industry by supporting the activities and aims of the Indian Golf Union, the Government of India Tourism Authority and other golf related groups. The Association is responsible to provide advice to the Government on industry wise issues without interfering individual members' relationship with specific Government agencies. Our goal is to look after the interest of all members and to strengthen the individual position of each member.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)