Cannes once again proved that it can host much more than film premieres and luxury events.
From 20 to 23 October 2025, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès welcomed the 28th edition of the International Golf Travel Market, IGTM, bringing together key players from the global golf tourism industry.
For four days, destinations, golf resorts, courses, tour operators, travel professionals and international media gathered on the French Riviera to discuss business, develop partnerships and explore the future of golf travel.
The figures demonstrate the international scale of the event.
IGTM 2025 brought together 268 exhibitors from 36 countries and 300 buyers from 51 countries across six continents.
More than 50 buyers came from the United States and Canada, while major European markets including the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, France and the Netherlands were strongly represented.
Buyers from Japan and South Korea also reinforced the event’s global reach.
Cannes returns to the international golf map
The choice of Cannes was particularly significant.
The city had previously hosted IGTM in 2017, and its return demonstrated the continued attractiveness of the French Riviera as a destination for international golf tourism.
The region offers a combination that is particularly relevant to today’s golf traveller: established golf courses, luxury hotels, gastronomy, yachting, culture, beaches and a sophisticated international transport network.
The event also created an opportunity to showcase the wider Côte d’Azur golf ecosystem.
French and regional participants included destinations and properties such as Côte d’Azur France Tourism, Destination Cannes, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, Terre Blanche, Golf Old Course Cannes-Mandelieu, Golf de la Grande Bastide and Golf d’Opio-Valbonne.
Business meetings at the heart of IGTM
Unlike traditional consumer travel exhibitions, IGTM is fundamentally a B2B marketplace.
Pre-scheduled meetings are at the centre of the event, allowing buyers and suppliers to identify commercial opportunities within a highly targeted environment.
This format reflects the increasingly professional nature of golf tourism.
Tour operators are looking for destinations that can deliver reliable quality, strong hospitality, competitive packages and differentiated experiences.
Destinations, meanwhile, need access to international buyers capable of converting interest into actual bookings.
The value of an event such as IGTM therefore goes beyond visibility.
It is about relationships, contracts, partnerships and future business.
A golf traveller looking for more
One of the strongest messages surrounding IGTM 2025 was the changing nature of golf travel.
The modern golf traveller increasingly wants more than a good course.
Wellness, sustainability, technology, cultural immersion and stay-and-play experiences are becoming increasingly important.
IGTM highlighted five major trends shaping the sector: wellness, sustainability, technology and artificial intelligence, luxury and immersive experiences, and more social forms of golf travel.
This evolution mirrors broader changes in luxury tourism.
Travellers are increasingly looking for meaningful experiences rather than simply purchasing accommodation or activities.
For golf destinations, this means that the course can no longer exist in isolation.
It needs to be connected to the hotel, the restaurant, the landscape, the culture and the overall destination experience.
The Discovery Zone
One of the notable innovations introduced at the 2025 edition was the Discovery Zone.
The new area focused on emerging golf technologies, apparel, accessories and destination experiences.
The initiative reflected a broader evolution within the golf industry, where technology and innovation are becoming increasingly important to both golfers and businesses.
Among the exhibitors were companies working across technology, digital services and new golf experiences.
The success of the concept also helped establish the foundation for the expanded IGTM Discovery format planned for 2026.
A stronger connection between golf and luxury travel
The Cannes edition also demonstrated why golf tourism is becoming increasingly relevant to the luxury travel industry.
Golf travellers often combine sport with premium accommodation, gastronomy, wellness and leisure.
For destinations such as the French Riviera, this creates an opportunity to position golf not as an isolated sports product but as part of a sophisticated luxury itinerary.
The same principle applies to emerging destinations in the Middle East, Asia and other regions seeking to attract international golfers.
The winning destinations will increasingly be those capable of offering a complete journey.
Looking beyond Cannes
IGTM 2025 closed with a clear message: the golf travel market is becoming more international, more experiential and more connected to the wider luxury tourism economy.
The event also confirmed Cannes as a natural meeting point between golf, hospitality and international travel.
Following the success of the 2025 edition, IGTM announced that it would return to Cannes in October 2026, with an expanded format designed to connect golf travel with technology, apparel, equipment, retail and club operations.
The evolution is significant.
Golf tourism is no longer a niche sitting separately from the travel industry.
It is becoming part of a broader ecosystem linking sport, hospitality, luxury, technology and destination development.
And Cannes, with its international profile and proximity to some of Europe’s most established golf destinations, is increasingly at the centre of that conversation.
https://www.igtmarket.com/en-gb
