The Golf Industry Association (GIA) successfully hosted a high-impact panel discussion on “Golf Tourism in India” during the Golf & Turf Summit in Hyderabad, 29-31 Oct 2025 at Boulder hills golf club, bringing together leading voices from the golf and travel ecosystem to chart the future of India’s golf tourism landscape.
With India emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing golf destinations, the session explored strategies to position the country as an international hub for golf travel, tournaments, and premium lifestyle experiences.
Leadership Insight & Vision
In his keynote address, Mr. Anirudha Seolekar, President — Golf Industry Association (GIA), emphasized the enormous growth potential of golf tourism in India. He highlighted the need for unified industry efforts, enhanced global promotion, and world-class infrastructure to elevate India’s visibility as a premier golf destination.
Eminent Panel of Industry Leaders
The distinguished panel featured: Arun Iyer, Managing Director — My Golf Tours , Hon.Secretary – TAFI-WI & Committee member GIA. Lokesh Bettiah, Managing Director — Triway Travels & Vice President – TAAI
Nikhil Jeet, Managing Director — Buzz Travel Marketing Pvt. Ltd. & DDP Group Moderated by Hari Natarajan, CEO & Co-Founder — Teetime Ventures, the interactive session delivered valuable insights on growth frameworks, tourism synergies, and investment potential.
Unlocking India’s Golf Tourism Potential
Key focus pillars discussed included: Increase our share of over 30 million golfers travelling globally on golf vacations.
Curated integrated golf circuits , premium experiences with support from Golf clubs in India. Dedicated Tourism Attache’s appointed at Indian Consulates abroad. Annual Fam Tours for Golf Tour operators for at least five years. Country based road shows for golf tourism supported by the Ministry of Tourism. Allow Marketing Development assistance for Golf Tourism Promotion.
Simplified faceless Time Bound MDA approvals
Holding Global Golf Tourism B2B Expo in India which opens up cross-border tourism partnerships
Public-private collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism & state tourism bodies allocating budgets & five year plans.
Grassroots development & domestic participation expansion with State Govt. organising Golf Festivals.
Appoint Celebrity & Professional golfers as Global Golf Tourism Ambassadors promoting India as a Golfing Destination. Hold periodic stakeholders meeting across states not limited to Delhi.
Global Showcase & Technology Innovation
The Summit also featured international exhibitors displaying state-of-the-art solutions for golf course development including modern turf equipment, irrigation technology, smart maintenance systems, and advanced golf gear — reinforcing India’s readiness to adopt global standards.
A Unified Vision for the Future
With world-class courses, hospitality excellence, growing domestic talent, and strategic collaboration across stakeholders, India is strongly positioned to become one of the world’s leading golf tourism markets.
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