The new agreement will extend the current relationship, which began in 1999, through to the end of the 2023 season. Club Car’s vehicles are crucial to the staging of DP World Tour events around the globe, assisting numerous aspects of tournament logistics from rules to television production. As well as supplying golf cars to the DP World Tour, Club Car has also been an Official Supplier at every Ryder Cup staged on European soil since 1997 – a role it will continue at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. Speaking about the announcement, Kevin Hart, Sales Director Golf EMEA at Club Car, said: “Club Car is very proud of its long, successful relationship with the DP World Tour and is delighted to continue as an Official Supplier this season, providing 113 vehicles to support the 39 events.” Max Hamilton, Consumer and Commercial Director of the DP World Tour, added: “Club Car have been a trusted partner for 23 years. Their products, support service and reliability are excellent and their unrivalled distribution network is vital for the smooth operation of our tournaments around the globe. We look forward to working together throughout the 2023 season.”

The travel industry is set to return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2023, but consumers are showing different behaviours and have new priorities. Travel Trends 2023, a new multimedia feature, published by European Tour Destinations, explores this changing landscape and identifies three key trends set to influence the industry. The feature, which draws on external research as well as its own insights, investigates how these trends will impact the golf travel market, and how venues are adapting accordingly. Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, said: “The gradual recovery of the global travel industry has given our network of venues an opportunity for self-reflection, innovation and to examine what the post-covid consumer is looking for. “We know from industry research that 45% of travellers plan to travel more in 2023 and 41% intend to spend more money, so it’s important that our Destinations are ready to capitalise on this demand by staying relevant and offering the things that are attractive to customers right now.” The trends identified are wellness travel, the rise of digital nomads and eco-tourism, and the feature includes insights from four leading European Tour Destinations – Camiral Golf and Wellness (formerly PGA Catalunya), Bom Sucesso Resort north of Lisbon, Verdura Resort in Sicily and Costa Navarino in Greece – on how they are driving, adapting and embracing these new trends.There is also a temperature check on the golf travel market from The European Tour Group’s Head of Tourism Development, Simon Cory-Wright, who predicts a buoyant 2023 despite likely economic challenges. Knox added: “Our research has given plenty of reason for optimism this year as travel maintains its resurgence. We know demand is there, and as long as destinations stay abreast of what their customers want, they will continue to thrive.”

For more than two decades, as PGA Catalunya, home of the revered Stadium Course, consistently ranked among the top 10 courses in Continental Europe, it has been a must-visit destination for discerning international golf travellers. Now, complemented by the acclaimed Tour Course, Golf Academy and Golf Hub, the European Tour Destination and DP World Tour hosting venue and begins a new journey and a new chapter in its history.   Camiral Golf & Wellness, which combines world class golf, the five-star Hotel Camiral, a state-of-the-art Wellness Centre and award-winning residential community, brings together an array of experiences under one name. The name Camiral is taken from an ancient Roman Road, the Camí Ral, meaning Royal Way, connecting France and Spain and which can still be followed on foot or by bicycle through the 500-hectare forested estate. It is also the name of the resort’s five-star Hotel, which sits at the heart of the property, alongside a new €5 million state-of-the-art Wellness Centre. Consolidating its position as a unique wellness and leisure destination, Camiral Golf & Wellness will now create a new 3-hectare naturalised lake for waters sports, alongside a 700 square metre swimming pool and Lake Club with restaurant and bar. An initial investment of €8.4 million will see work begin in 2023. Camiral Golf & Wellness CEO David Plana said: “It is the right time to take this important next step on our journey, reflecting how far we have come as a golf resort and our future as a golf and wellness destination. “With the support of our proprietors, Denis and Catherine O’Brien, there will be continuity and significant further investment for our two world class golf courses and academy facilities. We will also continue to associate closely with our valued partners, including European Tour Destinations.”   More than €1 million has been invested in golf in the past year, including sustainability measures for the Stadium Course that have reduced water usage by 25%. Camiral Golf & Wellness is one of the few resorts worldwide that employs a full-time biologist to advise on ecological and sustainability management of golf. The resort produces its own honey, grows its own eco-wine and in 2020 achieved the IAGTO Sustainability Award for Nature Protection. David Plana continued: “Of course, as PGA Catalunya, we have been a familiar name in golf for more than two decades. Now, we have reached an important milestone in our journey. As the world evolves, golf is changing, too, and, more than ever, we can appreciate the value and rarity of our green spaces. “So, while we can all continue to push our limits on the golf course, there is also space to retreat and reconnect. That’s why it’s the right time to become Camiral Golf & Wellness and make the promise to our guests and residents to play well, stay well and rest well.”

Laguna Resort Singapore,  one of Asia’s leading golf resorts, has become the latest venue to join the European Tour Destinations network. Opened in 1993 and situated on Singapore’s east coast, Laguna Resort Singapore has a rich history of hosting European Tour Group events and in February 2023 the DP World Tour will return once again as part of a three-year agreement to be the home of the Singapore Classic. Mark Bates, Director of Golf, said: “After completing upgrades on the Masters Course, re-designing the Classic Course and launching our new clubhouse and five-star hotel resort, we are excited to welcome golfers from all over the world. “Guests playing at Laguna Resort Singapore will have the opportunity to play two courses, which have the distinction of being venues on the DP World Tour. “Being part of European Tour Destinations will help us to elevate our standards and connect to global golfers through a network of true world-class facilities.”   Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, added: “We look forward to working closely with Mark and his team to capitalise on the benefits of Laguna Resort Singapore hosting the DP World Tour Singapore Classic over the next three years and continuing to elevate the venue as one of Asia’s top destinations.” Located within 10 minutes of Singapore’s Changi Airport, Laguna Resort Singapore is home to 36 holes of golf, in the Classic and Masters Courses. The Classic opened in 1993, before a full redesign in 2017, and is one of the most dramatic tests of golf in Asia, featuring more than 140 bunkers, five water features and undulating greens, while the Andy Dye-sculpted Masters Course places a premium on accurate approach shots and astute course management. Golfing guests now also have the opportunity to stay at the five-star Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore hotel, comprising 198 tastefully decorated rooms and suites, eight pavilions, indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, as well as a variety of gastronomic options. Other facilities include three swimming pools, three tennis courts, a putting green, gym and Dusit Thani’s signature Devarana Spa. For more information about Laguna Resort, Singapore, visit: www.lagunaresort.sg