- The 2026 IGTM in Cannes highlighted a $24.8bn (€22.8bn) global golf tourism market.
- IGTM Discovery and the inaugural Golf Club Management Summit launched at the event.
- Approximately 65pc to 80pc of golf travellers prioritise lifestyle experiences alongside golf.
- New exhibitors included Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Japan.
- The United States remains the largest outbound golf travel market with 2.7m travellers annually.
The 2026 International Golf Travel Market in Cannes has highlighted a $24.8bn (€22.8bn) global golf tourism market. The event featured the launch of IGTM Discovery and its inaugural Golf Club Management Summit. Key themes centred on lifestyle integration, emerging global destinations and data-driven operations.
Approximately 65pc to 80pc of golf travellers now prioritise packages that combine golf with fine dining, spa wellness and cultural excursions. New or expanding exhibitors including Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Japan signalled a geographic shift away from traditional strongholds. The United States continues to dominate global outbound golf travel with 2.7m Americans travelling internationally annually.
The debut of IGTM Discovery featured an expanded trade floor and the 30-session Golf Club Management Summit focused on multi-stream revenue models, club technology, padel tourism integration and women’s golf commercial potential. Industry audits revealed that only 19pc of venues actively capture individual guest data upon arrival.
