In addition to the Portugal decline, golf holiday bookings to Spain were also below par, down 66% year on year. Turkey also saw a 67% drop and 83% fewer bookings were received for French resorts.
Leading golf holidays firm, Glencor Golf, have seen a 49% decrease in bookings for Portugal based golf breaks, compared to 2019. Between June 1st and the start of September 2020, the holiday firm received just half the amount of bookings for Portugal in comparison to the previous summer.
Portugal was placed on the government’s travel corridor list on August 20 th but a sharp rise in COVID- 19 cases in the country led to speculation that quarantine rules would be enforced again. The Welsh and Scottish governments subsequently announced on Thursday 3 rd September that those travelling from Portugal would be required to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return. Portugal currently remains on the safe list for English travellers at least but days of speculation has led to confusion and many unsettled holidaymakers.
The Pandemic has caused a big shift away from European resorts to UK golfing venues
Glencor Golf are well renowned for offering holidays to luxurious resorts and sun kissed golf courses around Europe. However, the uncertainty of overseas travel during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a big shift away from European resorts to UK golfing venues.
In addition to the Portugal decline, golf holiday bookings to Spain were also below par, down 66% year on year. Turkey also saw a 67% drop and 83% fewer bookings were received for French resorts.
In the summer of 2019, overseas golf holidays represented 89% of all trips booked through Glencor but they now account for just 55%. In contrast, bookings for UK golf resorts rose by 119% compared to the previous summer. In 2019, UK holidays accounted for just 11% of the firm’s overall bookings but during this summer, it made up 45% of all holidays booked.
“During the summer and into this month, we’ve helped many of our clients to escape to the sun and enjoy a safe and relaxing time in Portugal and other European destinations,” said Corrie Renton, Director at Glencor Golf. “But we understand that we are in a fluid situation and there are concerns over whether holidaymakers will need to self-isolate upon their return home from certain destinations. That’s why, overall, we have seen such a shift to interest in UK resorts.
“A number of our clients have rearranged their 2020 European breaks for Spring 2021 and then looked to fill the gap with a UK break until international travel returns to normality.
“Here in the UK, we are fortunate to be blessed with a lot of incredible golf courses and resorts on our doorstep and many customers are discovering them for the first time this year.
“The destinations that have proven the most popular are the two former Ryder Cup venues – Celtic Manor and The Belfry. Both of these resorts have multiple courses on-site as well as great bars, restaurants, spas and gyms.
“The facilities are so good, they appeal to both golfing fanatics looking to play bucket list courses such as the Brabazon and also couples looking for a relaxing long weekend.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
