First multi-year, global sports sponsorship for Skyscanner
Significant partnership for both the Solheim Cup and women’s golf
Considerable growth projected in elite women’s sport and sports tourism as Skyscanner seeks to increase brand awareness
Women are responsible for booking vacations in more than 50% of households
TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2024: Global travel leader Skyscanner is announced today as the new Travel Technology Partner of the Solheim Cup for the 2024 edition at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, USA, and the 2026 European match at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
The multi-year sponsorship deal is the first of its kind undertaken by Skyscanner as the travel marketplace aims to increase its brand awareness with travellers in some of the fastest growing segments in sport and sport tourism.
According to recent research by Deloitte, revenue generated by women’s elite sports will surpass US$1 billion for the first time in 2024, up 300% since 2021 and with global competitions expected to contribute US$425 million (33%) of the forecast total. Similarly, according to UNWTO, sports tourism generates around 10% of the world’s expenditure on tourism and has an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023-2030. And in the UK, the latest research by the Women’s Sport Trust shows a record 46.7m viewers in Britain tuned in to watch women’s sport on pay TV in 2023, eclipsing 2019 figures, with the final day of the Solheim Cup the most-watched women’s sport event.
Skyscanner analysis of travel booking habits shows that women are responsible for booking vacations in nearly two thirds of households in markets such as Canada (55%), France (56%), Germany (60%), Spain (53%), Singapore (53%), USA (58%) and UK (59%).*
With more than 110 million monthly users across Skyscanner’s platforms worldwide searching for the best deals on flights, hotels and car hire, this is a significant partnership for both the Solheim Cup and women’s golf. It brings a foremost consumer brand into women’s golf, having been attracted by the profile, demographic and brand values offered by the Solheim Cup and women’s professional golf.
The partnership will explore the deep relationship between golf and travel and Skyscanner will use this platform to empower golf fans to maximise their time and money when travelling for the love of the game. The travel leader also hopes to harness stories from behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup and uncover inspiring and entertaining tales of the travel undertaken by professional athletes and golf enthusiasts in pursuit of the perfect round.
Sonja Balcer, Director of Affiliate and Performance Partnerships at Skyscanner, commented, “The Solheim Cup is an incredible, world-renowned sporting event and we’re looking forward to playing our part in what will no doubt be an amazing contest. It delivers on both our desire to build our brand presence at the intersection of women’s elite sports and sports tourism, as well as partnering with a global event that strongly aligns with our vision and values. Despite living and working in the UK for the past several years, I’m originally from the States, so will be personally rooting for the U.S. Team all the way!”
IMG were appointed as the management partner of the European Solheim Cup for an initial commitment through to the end of 2038, having delivered a successful European Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in 2019, in partnership with Visit Scotland.
Grant Slack, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Golf Events, IMG added, “This is an important partnership for women’s golf and the Solheim Cup. Our goal when we went to market was to attract significant global consumer brands and for Skyscanner to make their first major sponsorship in the women’s game, is testament to the growing appeal of the Solheim Cup, which is one of the most exciting sporting contests of the year. With a substantial international fanbase, Skyscanner is the ideal partner to support and enhance the travel experience for the teams, fans and officials, and we are extremely excited to have them as the latest addition to the Solheim Cup family of partners.”
Alexandra Armas, Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, commented: “The Solheim Cup is an international celebration of excellence, teamwork, and pride. We are thrilled to welcome Skyscanner to our esteemed list of Global Partners for the 2024 and 2026 editions in the United States and Europe respectively. Skyscanner’s commitment to helping shape a more responsible future for travel in collaboration with partners aligns perfectly with our vision and values. Through the support of Skyscanner, the teams and supporters will be able to maximise their time and money when travelling to enjoy world class golf competition and enhanced fan experiences. We are looking forward to further elevating this great competition for our passionate players, partners, and fans.”
The agreement with Skyscanner was supported by Women’s Sports Media, a specialist sports marketing agency based in the UK focussing exclusively on Women’s sports media platforms.
The 2024 Solheim Cup will be held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, USA, on Sept. 10-15. Following the completion of play, the baton will officially be passed to Bernardus.
——
About Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a global leader in travel helping travellers plan and book their trip with ease and confidence. Every month Skyscanner connects with millions of travellers in 52 countries and 32 languages to more than 1200 trusted travel partners so they can find the best flight, hotel or car hire options. Over a million UK consumers voted Skyscanner the best travel site for price comparison at the British Travel Awards 2023.
Making use of the latest technology, Skyscanner simplifies the complexity of travel and provides honest and transparent solutions, searching more than 80 billion prices every day so travellers can be sure they’ve seen the best possible options, all in one place.
Founded in 2003, Skyscanner has offices worldwide, in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America where traveller-first innovations are developed, powered by data and insights. Skyscanner is committed to helping shape a more responsible future for travel in collaboration with our partners, so that every traveller can explore our world effortlessly for generations to come.
About the Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of the game of golf with passion for one’s country and continent. This biennial international match-play competition features the best U.S. players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the best European players from the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The Solheim Cup is named in honor of Karsten and Louise Solheim and family, the founders of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING golf equipment. In 1990, the Solheim family, in conjunction with the LPGA and the LET, developed the concept and became the title sponsor for the Solheim Cup. Today, the Global Partners of the Solheim Cup are PING, Hilton, Skyscanner and Rolex.
Held every two years, the event has grown into the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team event. In 2023, Team Europe retained the Solheim Cup after a 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin in Casares, Andalucia, Spain. The U.S. Team leads Team Europe, 10-7-1, all-time in Solheim Cup competition.
For more information, visit www.solheimcup.com.
About IMG
IMG is a global sports, events and representation company. It is a leader in rights management, multi-channel content production and distribution, consultancy and fan engagement; owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of live events and experiences; and manages licensing programs for the world’s best-known brands and trademarks. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.
Credit: IMG