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 inthe 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. saysthe number of tourists swinging into the province to play the gameis up about five per cent.

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

The longer stays meanrevenue 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 overwe 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 provincialstakeholders with a mandate to promote the Island as a golf destination anddrawvisitorsfrom all over the world.

The organization also accepts bookings for golf and hotelpackages and represents 18 of 28 Islandcourses, 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 overwe 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 startingto 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 willspend a few days visiting coursesin other provinces. But on P.E.I. theytend to stay longer, McLaneadded.

"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 waygolferscan take on all Islandcourses in one trip.