PROMOTERS of a booking service specializing in Nova Scotia golf vacations believe the system — currently teed up for a spring launch — will whack the industry in this province out of the doldrums.

"We’re finally going to be in a position were people interested in golfing and visiting Nova Scotia will be able to make a single call and do it all," said Terry Burns, with Golf Nova Scotia and Golf Cape Breton.

Golf tourism has been sluggish in the province, as it has throughout much of North America in recent years, mostly due to a huge build-up of courses. Over about a decade, the number of courses in Atlantic Canada went from 65 to at least 205.

A stumbling block for the golf industry in Nova Scotia has been the lack of a speciality vacation booking system, similar to those employed in places like the Myrtle Beach, S.C., tourist region in the United States. Nova Scotia’s Check In reservation service deals with all sorts of tourists, but does not specialize in golf.

"Nova Scotia has a lot to offer the golf tourist but the logistics can be frustrating and, frankly, many people cannot be bothered and head someplace else," said Burns.

Beginning officially March 22, potential golf visitors will simply dial a new toll-free number to reach a representative of the One Call Does It All program. The number is 1-866-404-3224.

Callers will be connected with a golf vacation specialist who will assist with the assembly of a golf package that will focus on one of the 23 courses in the province affiliated with Golf Nova Scotia.

There are about 47 courses in the province not affiliated with Golf Nova Scotia.

Many of these follow a traditional membership model, while the One Call Does It All program targets visiting golfers, which is the segment of the industry expected to experience growth in the coming decade.

Golf Nova Scotia says about 90,000 visiting golfers pay green fees and take in other attractions and amenities for an average value of about $235 per day, which the organization calculates to be worth about $20 million per year.

These numbers come from member golf courses, and do not include visiting green-fee paying golfers at other courses in the province that are membership driven.

"Golf tourism in Nova Scotia is very much an under-utilized industry with huge growth potential. We’re confident the One Call Does It All program will eventually bring many more visiting golfers to the province," said Burns.

But he said the growth will not occur overnight. More golfers with friends and families, and also tour buses filled with players, will start arriving as word spreads of the new vacation booking service.

Golf Nova Scotia and Golf Cape Breton are partnering with Explore.ca Travel Group in Halifax and Intergy eMarketing and Reservation Solutions, based in Bedford, to provide the service.

Explore.ca is an Eastern Canadian vacation packaging specialist, while Intergy eMarketing will actually answer the telephones, make bookings and provide the required technology. Intergy eMarketing is the e-commerce and reservations division of Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc.

Clark Squires, vice-president at Intergy eMarketing, said the system will boost golf tourism in Nova Scotia and will create jobs in the golf and hotel industries, and also in the e-commerce and reservations industry.

"We see the potential for this system to be deployed for the entire Atlantic region," he said.