It was interesting to read in a recent study that 78.9% of golf travellers now say they would rather book a destination that combines golf with good food, culture and lifestyle attractions rather than one known for its courses alone. The research, carried out by 18Players in partnership with the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), puts a number on a shift that Golf Tourism England has sensed building for some time.
The wider findings paint a similar picture:
- 83.6% rate high-quality dining as essential to a golf trip, not simply a nice-to-have
- Just over 56% say wellness and cultural experiences are very or extremely important to their choice of destination
- 79.2% would consider travelling as part of a larger group
It was interesting to read in a recent study that 78.9% of golf travellers now say they would rather book a destination that combines golf with good food, culture and lifestyle attractions rather than one known for its courses alone. The research, carried out by 18Players in partnership with the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), puts a number on a shift that Golf Tourism England has sensed building for some time.
Who is driving this shift?
For now, it is the younger end of the market leading the change. Millennial and Gen Z travellers are putting a bigger share of their income into travel than previous generations did at the same age, and putting more value on experiences that are duly recorded to their social media. This is a trend that Golf Tourism England expects to broaden over time, rather than stay confined to one generation. It does not come at the expense of the traditional golf trip, which continues to have a loyal following of its own — a straightforward week built around top courses and tee times remains exactly what plenty of golf travellers still want.
What this means for England as a destination
None of this calls for anything radically new — England’s courses, clubhouses, food and coastline already offer much of what this kind of traveller is looking for. What it does call for is presenting the fuller trip more clearly: the food, the nearby coastal walk, the history behind a clubhouse, told alongside the golf itself rather than left as an afterthought.
The market itself is growing to match this appetite. Global golf tourism is projected to reach $24.8 billion in 2026, and the destinations that benefit most from that growth are likely to be the ones known for the whole trip, not just the round.