Island golf reservations on an upswing

Island golf reservations for the upcoming season are on the rise compared to last year.

'Stays seem to be longer than in the past'

Tony Davis · CBC News · Posted: May 28, 2019 11:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 28, 2019

Golf P.E.I. credits the upswing in reservations to marketing that began early this year, while courses were still covered with snow. (Golf P.E.I.)

Island golf reservations for the upcoming season are on the rise compared to last year.

Golf P.E.I. says the number of tourists swinging into the province to play the game is up about five per cent.

"On the revenue side, stays seem to be longer than in the past," said Mark McLane, Golf P.E.I. executive director.

The longer stays mean revenue is up by 20 per cent, something that makes the organization "very happy", he said.

As we book more and more golf vacations, any margin that is left over we reinvest to try and attract more golfers to P.E.I.— Mark McLane, Golf P.E.I.

Golf P.E.I. is a non-profit association of provincial stakeholders with a mandate to promote the Island as a golf destination and draw visitors from all over the world.

The organization also accepts bookings for golf and hotel packages and represents 18 of 28 Island courses, McLane said.

"We kind of consider them, I guess, destination courses that market to the off-Island golfer."

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Marketing earlier

Golf P.E.I. credits the upswing in reservations to early marketing that began while the courses were still covered in snow.

"We started as early as February," McLane said, "It is important to get in front of the customers early."

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In previous years marketing didn't begin until March, he said.

"As we book more and more golf vacations, any margin that is left over we reinvest to try and attract more golfers to P.E.I."

Other Atlantic regions in on the action

Atlantic Canada as a whole has stepped up its golf course game in general, McLane said. Other locations like Cape Breton are really starting to be recognized as golf destinations.

"The long haul customers … are coming to Atlantic Canada and doing multiple provinces on their golf trip."

McLane said typically, golfers will spend a few days visiting courses in other provinces. But on P.E.I. they tend to stay longer, McLane added.

"Just because of the quality and quantity of courses we have."

McLane said the Island gets a lot of repeat customers because there is no way golfers can take on all Island courses in one trip.