IGTM 2026: The New Golf Destinations Courting Travelers This Week in Cannes

by | Oct 17, 2026

Golf travel’s biggest annual business meeting opens Monday in Cannes, France, and this year’s guest list says a lot about where golfers will be traveling next. The International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) runs October 19 to 22 at the Palais des Festivals, bringing together more than 300 golf tourism suppliers and more than 300 pre-qualified buyers.

The headline isn’t the familiar names. It’s the newcomers. Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Japan are all sending first-time exhibitors, a sign that the map of where you can take a serious golf trip is getting bigger.

Why a trade show in France matters to your next trip

You won’t find golfers walking the floor at IGTM. It’s a business-to-business event, founded in 1998 and run by RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions), where destinations, resorts and courses sit down in pre-scheduled meetings with the tour operators and travel agents who build golf packages. According to the organizers, 62% of the buyers attending have budgets above €1 million.

That’s why it’s worth watching. The deals made in Cannes this week turn into the packages, itineraries and promotions that land in your inbox over the next year or two. When a destination shows up at IGTM for the first time, it’s telling the people who sell golf trips that it’s ready for their customers.

The money behind it is real. Future Market Insights projects the global golf tourism market will reach $29.5 billion in 2026, with emerging destinations taking a bigger share. IGTM’s organizers have also singled out North American golfers, increasingly looking abroad, as a key source of that demand.

The newcomers to watch

Saudi Arabia. Golf Saudi is exhibiting at IGTM for the first time, bringing a unified delegation that includes Riyadh Golf Club, Dirab Golf & Country Club, Shura Links and The National Golf Club at Qiddiya City. The country has invested heavily in new courses and golf experiences, and the wider Gulf golf tourism market is forecast to nearly double, from $2.2 billion in 2025 to $4.1 billion by 2035. IGTM’s event manager described the region as moving from “emerging” to “established” in golf travelers’ minds.

The timing, though, is hard to ignore. Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport this month killed at least 13 people in a single strike and forced the airport to close through October 17. Several foreign embassies, including the U.S. embassy, told their citizens to avoid the airport. Air France-KLM suspended Riyadh service through the end of October, and Delta pushed back its planned Atlanta-to-Riyadh route from October 23 to March 2027. Saudi Arabia’s golf ambitions are real, but anyone considering a trip should check the U.S. State Department’s current travel advisory first.

Cyprus. The Deputy Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus is making its IGTM debut. The Mediterranean island pairs year-round sunshine with the “golf-plus” mix of food, culture and beaches that golf travelers increasingly look for.

Dominican Republic. Two names American golfers already know, Puntacana Resort and Casa de Campo, are first-time exhibitors. For U.S. travelers, the Caribbean’s short flights make it one of the easiest international golf trips going.

Kenya. YENGOLF, from Kenya, is making its first appearance. For the adventurous, it’s a chance to pair a golf trip with a safari.

Japan. The Japan Golf Tourism Association and Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide are both newcomers. Japan has thousands of courses and a deep golf culture that most American golfers have never tapped.

Also in the room: VisitAberdeenshire is introducing another corner of Scotland to buyers beyond the usual St. Andrews and Ayrshire itineraries, and the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association is pitching the wider region. Italy’s Lazio region, home to Rome, is exhibiting within the Italian pavilion.

What it means for your future trips

The takeaway from Cannes this year is that the golf travel map is getting bigger. For decades, an international golf trip for most Americans meant Scotland, Ireland or the Caribbean. Those remain the classics, but destinations from the Mediterranean to East Africa to East Asia are now investing in the courses, resorts and relationships needed to compete for your trip.

In practice, expect:

  • More package options to places you haven’t considered, as tour operators add the destinations they met in Cannes.
  • Introductory pricing and promotions from newer destinations trying to build a following.
  • Better access to bucket-list regions beyond the obvious, like Aberdeenshire in Scotland.

And as always, a new destination is only as good as the trip you can safely and easily take there. Check travel advisories, flight availability and the reputation of whoever is booking it before you commit.

We’ll be watching what comes out of IGTM this week and will report on the destinations and deals that matter for American golfers.

Sources