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GolfSwitch technology and distribution leads European expansion

GolfSwitch, the world’s largest online real time tee-time distribution network, is already expanding into new territories following a hugely successful International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), in Valencia.

Jo Maes, GolfSwitch’s director of European development, enjoyed a busy week, moving from meeting to meeting – often without a break – and the result is that the company should not only be moving into Italy, Morocco and Tunisia in the near future, but also rapidly increasing its presence in its current locations.

As an example, the existing agreement with Open Golf Club, in France, will see more than 30 French courses’ tee-times on-line by the end of this year.

Maes said: “The response from everybody at IGTM has been phenomenal. We’ve had enormous interest in the technology particularly from territories new to the GolfSwitch network.

“What seemed to excite people particularly was the technology which exists to develop applications to sit in top of the GolfSwitch engine. The best current example of this is that you can now book tee-times using the social networking site Facebook, which is also plugging into GolfSwitch.

“People in the industry can’t help but be impressed by both the technology and the immediate success it brings to those who sign up to it. These are very exciting times for GolfSwitch and for all its clients.”

One of the first European resorts to sign up to GolfSwitch was Aphrodite Hills, in Cyprus, which has been reaping the benefits now for some years.

Speaking at IGTM, Nuno Bastos, the resort’s director of golf, said: “At Aphrodite Hills we try constantly to be looking at new ways of marketing tee-times online. GolfSwitch has allowed us a significant increase on our online tee-times bookings over the past year and they have also been willing to develop new tools and assist us with our requirements.”

Brendan Breen, commercial director at Golf Las Americas, in Tenerife, is another who has seen an upturn in business since adding his tee-times to the GolfSwitch network.

He said: “GolfSwitch is a key part of our internet marketing strategy. Allowing golfers to be able to make tee-time reservations via Facebook is an exciting development for golf courses and resorts and one in which we can realistically expect to see exponential growth.”

Utilising experience built up over the last 12 years, GolfSwitch has cemented its place as the market leader in tee-time distribution by powering white-label electronic tee-time reservations for thousands of golf courses, travel agents, hotels and resorts, tour operators, visitor bureaux, and more than 35,000 websites, including recent European additions Marriott Hotels, Pestana, the PGAs of Europe and some of the major European airlines.

The network provides courses with the flexibility to sell rack rate, special, discount, corporate or holiday rounds to a local, regional, national or global audience – while still maintaining total control over inventory distribution, pricing and policies at every level.

Maes added: “As we see other so-called ‘online’ booking parties entering the European market, we rest assured that the GolfSwitch business model of maintaining the courses’ price integrity, coupled with superior and innovative technology, is the only model that will equally benefit both the golfers and the courses.”

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Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

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