“Use the Ryder Cup as a springboard for business,” tourism operators told

With less than 12 months until the Ryder Cup tees off, tourism operators and advisors from across South East Wales have been offered an insight into how to maximise business opportunities on the back of the six-day event next October.

The Greens of Southern Wales Golf Forum, organised by Capital Region Tourism at Bryn Meadows Hotel, Golf and Spa in Maesycwmmer, near Caerphilly (8 October), brought together golf clubs, accommodation providers and council tourism officers from across South East Wales with the chairs of the local tourism associations for an event which championed the business opportunities of the Ryder Cup coming to the capital region next year.

Speakers at the event, which was attended by more than 20 local clubs and accommodation providers, focussed on the need for tourism businesses across Wales to be creative in the ways they exploit the event to boost trade. Peter Cole, regional strategy director for Capital Region Tourism (CRT), said: “The region will benefit from a huge profile boost generated by the world media spotlight which will fall on the capital region next year, both in the run up to the Ryder Cup, during the event itself and beyond. Visitors coming to Ryder Cup next year will have a fairly clear idea of what they want to do – watch golf.

“The forum was about helping businesses understand how to channel the excitement and profile generated by the Ryder Cup. Businesses need to understand that increased trade is not going to simply appear. They will need to look at their business and explore how they can become part of the wider golf tourism offer.”

A series of speakers talked about the support that is available from Visit Wales, Capital Region Tourism and Greens of Southern Wales to help tourism operators and accommodation providers gain from the Ryder Cup. Event organiser, Clare Birt, marketing director at Vibe PR and Marketing, said: “The support is there to help the operators seize the opportunities presented by the Ryder Cup 2010. A lot has been done recently to build on the success of golf tourism in the capital region. Improvements to the Greens of Southern Wales website make online booking for tee-times at a host of golf courses much easier and visitors can explore short breaks, special offers and lots of activities for the non-golfers in the party as well. Over the coming months, we will be working with the golf clubs and accommodation providers by organising press visits and launching a new social media campaign.”