SUCCESS STORY
Driving Chinese Golfers to South Africa
- Ascot Golf Tours
- Inbound Golf Tour Operator
- Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa's #1 golf specialist, Ascot Tours, is well established among leading tour operators of Europe. However, its strict B2B business model did not warrant sufficient volumes to manifest its vision of entering leisure tourism. To do so, it was imperative for Ascot to tap the Chinese market.
Till date, the immature Chinese market is largely driven towards bucket list destinations of Europe and US. To crack this segment, Ascot needed insider access into the China Golf Market, to position South Africa as one of the best golfing havens in southern hemisphere.
GTC formulated a cross-functional approach by leveraging Ascot's existing assests and its own network in China, which included:
- Organizing exclusive fam trips for high profile media and travel trade professionals from Asia
- Developing Golf and Lifestyle programs in Mandarin Chinese to target the affluent Chinese
- Educational communication about South Africa Golf Tours in partnership with SA Tourism
- Setting-up of relevant infrastructure including recruitment of Chinese speaking staff member
- Representation in golf and tourism industry trade shows and conventions for global exposure
The first group of 18 golfers visited South Africa in August 2015 and additional group bookings from China for 2015 could be secured. Partnerships with major players in China are being finalized even as more bookings and requests are in the pipeline. With brand awareness growing consistently, Ascot is being recognized as the #1 golf tour operator and “go to contact” when it comes to Golf & Lifestyle Experiences in South Africa.
Scott Edkins
Managing DirectorAscot Tours
I have known Evelyn for over 14 years now and have worked with her in various capacities. I have always found Evelyn to be a true professional and very detailed in all she does. Every conversation with Evelyn is a learning experience as she passes on her skills and vast knowledge. She is an absolute joy to work with and I look forward to many more years working together.