Scottish Golf Tourism Awards winners: Carnoustie Golf Links celebrates two awards

By Rob McLaren

February 3 2023, 5:55am

Carnoustie Golf Links. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

It was double delight for Carnoustie Golf Links as it won two awards at this year’s Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.

A total of 12 awards were handed out at a gala dinner attended by almost 500 people at the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews.

Carnoustie Golf Links won awards for best course in the over £150 category and best pro shop.

There was joy elsewhere in Courier Country on the night too.

Rusacks St Andrews was named best hotel with over 50 rooms while Strathmore Golf Centre in Alyth was named best course under £75.

St Andrews-based Connoisseur Golf won best UK golf tour operator.

The winners were selected by a panel of independent judges from across the industry.

Scottish Golf Tourism Week

The awards ceremony is the culmination of Scottish Golf Tourism Week.

Returning for its sixth year, the partnership between DC Thomson and VisitScotland aims to support Scottish golf businesses and encourage growth in the industry.

It brings together some of the world’s leading tour operators with almost 100 Scottish golf businesses.

More than 80 inbound golf tour operators from 30 different countries attended.

It is estimated that the tour operators in attendance bring approximately 50,000 golf tourists into Scotland every year.

Scottish Golf Tourism Week networking at Fairmont in St Andrews. Image: Scottish Golf Tourism Week

The week’s itinerary included familiarisation visits to six regions – Highlands, Aberdeen, west coast, east coast, Angus and Dundee, and Fife.

In addition, 3,700 one-to-one meetings between buyers and suppliers took place to discuss customer needs and potential business opportunities.

Organisers are expecting bumper years for incoming tourism with the sterling exchange rate favourable to overseas visitors.

Suppliers who attend forecast an average increase in turnover of over £215,000 across the following three years as a direct result of the new connections they built at the event.

Craig Blue from VisitScotland said: “Every year this event goes from strength to strength.

“There was a lot of buzz and excitement in the room with lots of positive meetings and networking opportunities taking place.

“With 82 tour operators from around the globe along with 93 Scottish businesses, the appetite for the Home of Golf is very much alive and in demand.

“We look forward to welcoming both domestic and international golfers to Scotland in 2023 and beyond.”