EthioSports
by Rahel Samuel
The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) has announced Marrakech as the 2015 Golf Destination of the Year for Africa & Gulf States. The announcement headlined the global golf tourism organisation’s annual Awards Gala Dinner in Villa Erba, Lake Como, Italy earlier today.
Morocco and Marrakech are delighted to be presented with this prestigious IAGTO Awards honour in recognition of the efforts deployed by the Moroccan National Tourist Office and particularly the local golf operators who ensure that international golfers enjoy the best golfing experience possible. This award will only encourage Moroccan operators to work a lot harder to welcome visitors from around the world.
Marrakech is Morocco’s golf city by essence, with more than 10 different golf courses, designed by famous names like Robert Trent Jones, Kyle Philips, Jack Nicklaus and Colin Montgomerie, among others, that guarantee Marrakech’s reputation as the best and the largest Moroccan golf destination.
Celebrities such as Winston Churchill and Dwight D Eisenhower have walked its prestigious greens and stayed in Marrakech, since the city has much more to offer, including its superb hotels which are equipped with wellness facilities, besides the wealth of the city’s culture, its perfect weather as well as its tourist attractions.
In addition, the famous Jamaa El Fna square in Marrakesh was ranked the third most beautiful square worldwide by Lonely Planet. In parallel, the square was featured by Adioso Application as the second-best place for spending a wonderful night in “an open-air food stalls area combining snake charmers and a healthy dose of chaos”.
Marrakech IAGTO Morocco’s open skies policy provides Marrakech with additional flights and connections from and to major tourist destinations making the red city even more accessible to visitors.
The environment protection being at the heart of the city’s policies, several new tourist and golf projects in Marrakech integrated in their business plans the preservation of its natural assets, particularly its water resources. Marrakech has set up a new waste water treatment plant in order to connect the golf courses and resorts to a pipeline network of over 80 km.
IAGTO’s third acknowledgment of Morocco as the best golfing destination in Africa and the Gulf States, voted for by more than 500 tour operator members of IAGTO in 62 countries, will enhance the attractiveness of the Moroccan golf courses and in turn, will encourage more golfers to visit the Kingdom.
Golf in Morocco is growing from strength to strength and golfers will be able to walk the greens of more than 40 golf courses throughout the country by 2020. This is due to the concerted efforts of both the public and private sectors, under the wise leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid.
To find out about golfing in Morocco, go to this link (2.8MB PDF).
For more information about the IAGTO Awards, visit www.iagto.com/awards
Contact: Fahd KARRAKCHOU (karrakchou@onmt.org.ma) – Niche Products Manager
