Be Of Good Cheer!!!

For most of us it truly is, “The Most Wonderful Time of The Year.” We should all understand and appreciate the depth of those simple lyrics. The “birds” are headed down for the winter to spend some cash on the warm and sunny courses of Florida AND the PGA Show and Golfweek’s Golfest are just around the corner. We will be getting together with our out of town guests for some friendly golf outings or family fairway times, and maybe some sibling rivalry rounds, as well.

I’m trying to make a valid recommendation to all the golf industry while we have the opportunity to forage through this annual flock of revenue. Be the best and the brightest, friendly, warm, and welcoming. Make your guests happy to be here; you can be fun and professional at the same time (shucks just look at how FGCM does it). Keep them laughing and make someone’s day. I‘ve been thinking how tight circumstances like these are not only life changing, but also life affirming, and character building, to say the least. These are not times for the weak and lazy!!!

We Floridian’s, as business owners, have a unique situation with regards to all types of travel, hospitality, and the various outdoor leisure activities. Florida is home to perhaps the finest collection of golf courses in the world.

We’ve been through HURRICANES, 9/11, bad politics of all kinds (just some fun little obstacles to wade through). As the economy becomes more challenging the state of Florida is more critical to the Florida golf resorts. It is amazing to me that some so called marketing professionals aren’t aware that 50 percent of all travel to Florida hotels and resorts comes from within Florida. By the way, this fact came to me from an industry friend and, true marketing pro who has a seat in the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame.

The bottom line is… we will get through this. Try to recall how long it was after 9/11 that we suffered from lack of consumer confidence. By the holidays we were getting tired of acting like a bunch of scared losers, and there was an aggressive campaign urging travelers and buyers to spend again. Goodness knows………. I’m doing my part! So carry on like it is the, “hap-happiest season of all”! 

Terrie Purdum