Golfers and golf clubs have been urged to promote Kenya as a top tourism destination through the sport.

This follows a golf stakeholders meeting held in Nairobi yesterday that explored ways on how the game can be utilised to boost the country’s economy.

The meeting noted that the country has all the relevant infrastructure to attract tourists through the game and that proper packaging of the game is needed to effect the needed process.

“If we design our packaging correctly, we can comfortably host as many guests as possible within our various clubs. This is all about logical planning and execution to make the tourists satisfied,” Muthaiga player Jay Sandhu underlined.

Club representatives from Karen, Windsor, Limuru, and Kipipiri golf clubs also gave out their views and insights on how Kenya can use the sport to help solidify its GDP.

In their remarks, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Executive June Chepkemei and chairman Francis Gichaba stated that it is high time golf tourism is taken with the seriousness it deserves.

They urged stakeholders to explore other options for marketing Kenya as a top tourism destination away from the three premier golfing events held annually in the country, namely the Magical Kenya Open (MKO), the Magical Kenya Ladies Open (MKLO), and the ongoing Sunshine Development Tour- East Africa Swing Series.

Airlines were also challenged to offer incentives to visiting players and tourists, like free passage for their golf kits and gear whenever the visitors are jetting into the country.

Corporates, players, and stakeholders were asked to utilise the Magical Kenya and Tembea Kenya brands to drum up support for golf tourism locally and internationally.

“From what I have noted, it’s cheaper to put a player in a plane to come participate in Kenya than to take them to Europe to play,” stated Vipingo Ridge Resort Manager David Marsh.

Vipingo has been synonymous with the hosting of the MKLO, a Ladies European Tour event that gave Kenya millions of eyeballs every season. Unfortunately, Kenya lost MKLO status last season, and this has affected Kenyan players like Naomi Wafula, Mercy Nyanchama, Jacqueline Walters, among others, who were using the global championship to gauge their prowess against the best of the best from across the world.

At the plenary discussion during the high-profile golf stakeholders meeting, member clubs across Kenya were urged to make it much more open for non-members to operate freely on their courses, even though priority ought to be granted to their registered members.

The other part of discussions by the stakeholders was centred around the product readiness, domestic and international marketing, golf marketing events, and government and private sector collaboration, among others.

The stakeholders also explored events that can help position Kenya as a premier golf destination, how the country can attract global tournament partners, and what can be used to drive international investments and participation in the championships.