IGTM Discovery confirms keynote speaker and conference sessions for 2026

IGTM Discovery has confirmed the sessions for its 2026 conference programme, which is new for the show this year. Running across all three days of the event, it will be open to attendees from both IGTM and IGTM Discovery, bringing together golf tourism professionals with the wider golf business to share insight and best practice.

Mark Skinner, Head of Business and Management at The PGA, opens the conference on Tuesday 20 October (09:55-10:15). His keynote looks at how The PGA has moved continuing professional development on from a compliance exercise to something more flexible and member-led and considers how changing workforce expectations and digital tools - including AI-enabled learning and personalised development pathways - are reshaping how golf professionals train and progress.

Skinner, said: "IGTM's new conference programme is a great addition to the show. Bringing golf tourism professionals together with the wider golf industry to share insight and best practice is exactly what the sector needs, and the topics on offer - from sustainable course management to the commercial case for women's golf - reflect that. It's also a valuable opportunity for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and with IGTM Discovery joining the show this year, there's more scope than ever to learn from one another and help shape where the game goes next."

Alejandro Reyes, Director of Agronomy at Turfgrass Agronomy Services, features in two sessions. On Tuesday 20 October (15:30-16:00) he joins Jim Croxton, CEO of BIGGA, on a panel on sustainability across the golf industry, looking at course management, turf care, supply chains and resort operations. On Wednesday 21 October (11:05-11:35) he speaks on the future of golf course agronomy, covering water scarcity, climate pressures, tightening regulation and the case for investing in course health. Reyes has more than 20 years' experience in golf course construction and turfgrass management and led agronomic preparation for the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National and the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.

The commercial reality of women's golf takes centre stage on Thursday 22 October (14:45-15:15), as Nicole Wheatley, CEO and Founder of Medi8 Golf and the Women in Golf Awards, Bethan Jones, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Ladies European Tour and Jane Carter, Editor of Women&Golf, unpack the data behind female golfers' spending, loyalty and the barriers still keeping women off the course.

Terry Sims, Managing Director at Silvermere Golf Complex, discusses running a multi-revenue public golf facility - spanning course, clubhouse, retail and driving range - in conversation with 18Players the marketing agency with decades of experience working in the golfing industry, on Thursday 22 October (11:45-12:15).

Alongside these sessions, IGTM Discovery brings its own dedicated programme this year, spanning the Golf Club Management Summit and Pro Theatre. Highlights include Henri Karttunen (GolfBranding) and Ru Macdonald on building memorable golf brand experiences, Menno Liebregts (Golfspot) on why clean data is the foundation for AI in golf businesses, and Alastair Sinclair (PlayMoreGolf) on choosing the right club management platform.

Golf Day - 2026 courses confirmed

IGTM opens with its Golf Day, available to all IGTM and IGTM Discovery attendees by advance booking and subject to availability. Cannes hosts the Golf Day for a second consecutive year, with play across three outstanding Riviera courses.

Le Riou at Terre Blanche is an 18-hole, 6,005-metre course overlooking the hilltop villages of the Pays de Fayence. It also hosts the first stage of the Ladies European Tour Access Series, the Terre Blanche Ladies Open.

Golf d'Opio-Valbonne is set within a 220-hectare protected estate between Cannes, Nice and Grasse. Designed by Donald Harradine, it is one of only three French golf projects the renowned architect was involved with during the early 1960s.

Golf de la Grande Bastide, located in Châteauneuf de Grasse, was designed by Cabell Robinson, a longtime associate of the legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr.

New exhibitors and countries for 2026

IGTM will welcome a strong line-up of new exhibitors in 2026. These include Camiral, set to host the 2031 Ryder Cup, and Details, which represents a range of golf courses and hotels across Portugal. VisitAberdeenshire joins the show as a first-time exhibitor, as does Puntacana Resort in the Caribbean, while Cyprus and the Dominican Republic will be represented at IGTM for the first time. The show will also welcome emerging golfing destinations including Vietnam, China and Mauritius.

Networking format revealed

Alongside its pre-scheduled appointments between more than 300 golf tourism suppliers and over 300 pre-qualified buyers, IGTM will offer a programme of networking events throughout the week. Golf Day and an official welcome reception open proceeding, followed by Happy Hour networking events and a farewell evening on the final night. Delegates will also be able to move between IGTM and IGTM Discovery during the daily networking drinks hour, creating opportunities to connect with professionals from across golf tourism and the wider golf industry.

Fiona Ashton, Event Manager, IGTM and IGTM Discovery, said: "2026 marks an exciting new chapter for the event with the introduction of both IGTM Discovery and our conference programme. As we bring together an even broader cross-section of the golf industry, we're creating more opportunities for delegates to exchange ideas, hear from leading experts and make valuable new connections. The sessions announced today reflect many of the topics shaping golf's future - from sustainability and agronomy to women's golf and the evolution of modern golf facilities - and are designed to complement the business meetings and networking that have always been at the heart of IGTM."

Further speakers and sessions will be announced in the coming weeks as the full conference programme is confirmed.

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