Four Seasons Resort Nevis Golf Course, photo courtesy of St. Kitts Tourism Authority

Golf is big business in Canada, according to research by the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA Canada). The nation is home to nearly 6 million golfers, who play about 70 million rounds of golf a year. Moreover, the Canadian golf industry is estimated to account for more than $15 billion of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP.)

Canadian golfers are also travellers. They take more than a million golf-related trips a year, spending more than $4.6 billion on golf-related activities outside of the country.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority, in anticipation of attracting more of these travellers, has announced that it is entering into an official marketing partnership with NGCOA Canada.

"The Canadian passion for golf, and especially golf travel, is very significant to St. Kitts and a key driver behind our partnership with the Association," said the Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce.

The Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis, the smallest nation in the Western hemisphere, is home to three championship golf courses: The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club at Frigate Bay, Irie Fields at Kittitian Hill and the Robert Trent Jones II Golf Club at Four Seasons Resort Nevis. A fourth course, the Christophe Harbour Golf Club is currently under construction.

“St. Kitts as a destination offers an amazing golf experience: designer courses surrounded by beautiful warm Caribbean sightlines and world class resorts,” said Grant.

The new partnership will provide St. Kitts’ marketing officials with direct access to NGCOA Canada’s membership of more than 1,200 courses. At its core, the marketing partnership will be comprised of a series of St. Kitts-sponsored "Club Nights" at key NGCOA member facilities throughout Canada. Designed to help build awareness of St. Kitts’ courses, hotel properties and tourism facilities, more than 40 “Club Nights” are planned for the 2016 golf season.

"The NGCOA Canada is a forward-looking association that prides itself on delivering exceptional value to our members,” said Jeff Calderwood, CEO, NGCOA Canada. “Our partnership with the St. Kitts Tourism Authority will create sponsorship opportunities for our members, enhance the consumer golf experience, and help build awareness for St. Kitts & Nevis as a world-class golf vacation destination.”

The partnership was born out of a relationship between NGCOA Canada and SportBox Entertainment Group. SportBox Group, the Association's agency of record for strategic partnerships, is being retained to help NGCOA Canada create opportunities that appeal to targeted audiences.

"The NGCOA [Canada] provides customized, scalable coast-to-coast access to 6 million Canadians that contribute over $15 billion in direct spending - that is a highly sought-after consumer for almost any brand," said David Corelli, Chief Strategy Officer, SportBox Group. "This marketing vehicle provides an uncluttered and direct channel for brands, such as St. Kitts, to engage with a demographic that have a high propensity to spend in many consumer categories."

Economic Impact of Golf in Canada: Key Figures
* The golf industry in Canada accounts for about $19.7 billion in direct spending on:
* Memberships and green fees ($5.0 billion)
* Golf equipment ($3.2 billion)
* Golf apparel ($0.86 billion)
* Charitable contributions at events ($0.53 billion)
* Spending by Canadian golfers on other golf-related goods and services ($2.5 billion)
    (includes instruction, publications, pay TV, transportation, etc.)
* Golf-related travel by Canadian golfers in Canada, excluding the home course ($1.5 billion)
* Golf-related travel and on-course spending outside of Canada by Canadian golfers ($4.6 billion)
* Golf-related travel in Canada by foreign golfers $1.2 billion (not including on-course spending)
* Capital additions and improvements at courses ($0.4 billion)

For more information about St. Kitts, visit www.stkittstourism.kn. For more information about NGCOA Canada, visit www.ngcoa.ca. 

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