Without the American golfers, 'we probably wouldn't be here'

[Iain]

A reminder of the volumes of American visitors coming to the west of Scotland and how important they are. I don't like to imagine how much negative impact on this market the lack of any direct scheduled flights to the USA is having.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/fo ... ldnt-here/

Taking the money spent by visitors from the US out of the equation would be an "absolute disaster" for the Scottish golf market, with a senior director at one of the country's top luxury destinations estimating that Americans account for more than half of business at top-end courses and hotels during the key summer season.

"They will spend more in the retail shop, they will spend more in the restaurants, and they will spend more in the bar," explains Nic Oldham, director of sales and marketing at Trump Turnberry. "I would say it’s probably at least 25% more.

[Clive]

A reminder of the volumes of American visitors coming to the west of Scotland and how important they are. I don't like to imagine how much negative impact on this market the lack of any direct scheduled flights to the USA is having.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/fo ... ldnt-here/

Taking the money spent by visitors from the US out of the equation would be an "absolute disaster" for the Scottish golf market, with a senior director at one of the country's top luxury destinations estimating that Americans account for more than half of business at top-end courses and hotels during the key summer season.

"They will spend more in the retail shop, they will spend more in the restaurants, and they will spend more in the bar," explains Nic Oldham, director of sales and marketing at Trump Turnberry. "I would say it’s probably at least 25% more.

Trump Turnberry. Top end luxury. Rich Americans. Please no.

[Clive]

A reminder of the volumes of American visitors coming to the west of Scotland and how important they are. I don't like to imagine how much negative impact on this market the lack of any direct scheduled flights to the USA is having.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/fo ... ldnt-here/

Trump Turnberry. Top end luxury. Rich Americans. Please no.

Please no what? Don't come here?

Yeah, not for me. And I’d extend that to the tourists of any nationality who come here to kill our animals on”sporting estates”.

[G-WATP]

A reminder of the volumes of American visitors coming to the west of Scotland and how important they are. I don't like to imagine how much negative impact on this market the lack of any direct scheduled flights to the USA is having.

But there are "direct scheduled flights to the USA" serving Central Scotland. I'd imagine most US tourists arriving into Scotland for a holiday aren't really too fussed which of the two airports they fly into - both are relatively close together anyway.

Worth noting that if we look at the Central Scotland<>US market as a whole, direct passengers in 2019 were 573,043 split 45%/55% non-US citizens/US citizens (254,861/318,182). In 2023 that had changed to 544,696, but split 34%/66% (186,157/358,539). The number of US citizens had therefore increased by almost 13%, so it doesn't look as if the changes in the distribution of US flights within the Central Scotland market has had any negative effect.

[Ekally1]

Why wouldn't we want Americans coming to the west to play golf ? More money to economy etc etc .. showcasing our country , enhancing opportunity's .

[Clive]

Why wouldn't we want Americans coming to the west to play golf ? More money to economy etc etc .. showcasing our country , enhancing opportunity's .

We would as you frame it.

But I wouldn’t fancy the types who would come to play golf at Trump Turnbury and I don’t believe for a moment that they go to Joe’s Snack Bar in Girvan for lunch or anything remotely like that.

You know me. I don’t like opulence or servitude or anything like that and I personally wouldn’t encourage it.

[hads]

Not everyone thinks a two weeks all inclusive in Benidorm will all you can eat buffet and bingo on a Wednesday is Nirvana.
Each to their own.
Let them come and let them spend.
God knows, we could do with it.

[McG]

You just need to look at the amount of folk who get off private jets at GLA that have arrived from the US each summer with their clubs to see we are doing ok from the high end of the market, but could be doing a lot better from the middle of the market - who would fly commercial.