Posted on: Tuesday, February 22, 2005
State's golf industry coming together
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i golf industry officials are meeting today to discuss promoting golf in the Islands and boosting recognition of the sport's business and social contributions.
The biennial Aloha Section PGA Golf Industry Conference today in Waikiki has drawn about 175 people in the golf industry, up significantly from the 75 attendees at the first conference in 1998, said Greg Nichols, the founder and chairman of the conference.
"The industry is coming together and working more closely together," said Nichols, who also serves on the Aloha Section PGA's board of directors. "We've come a long way in six years. (But) we've still got more work to do."
The goals of the conference, which has sold out, include discussing the creation of an umbrella association to lobby more effectively for protecting and marketing the industry here, as well as collecting data to determine golf's economic impact to the state, Nichols said.
The conference also aims to promote ongoing initiatives such as junior golf and amateur programs, and motivate facilities to adopt programs to encourage both new and longtime golfers to play more, he said.
Conference speakers include Ladies Professional Golfers Association commissioner Ty Votaw and Hawai'i Tourism Authority Chairman John Toner, who will discuss HTA's role in marketing golf.
Golfers are valuable to the visitor industry because they tend to stay longer and spend more than the average tourist. They also participate in additional activities during visits, including snorkeling, sightseeing, going to the beach and shopping.
Golfers make up about 15 percent of the nearly 7 million visitors to Hawai'i, Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau officials have said. The bureau and other state contractors are highlighting the Islands' golf opportunities.
The bureau launched a four-week campaign in January that featured Hawai'i and its golf courses on The Golf Channel.
For more information, visit www.aloha.pga.com.
