AMERICA’S Great Lakes look set to be buzzing more than ever with golfers and other visitors over the next couple of years.

The area - already a popular tourist destination - is now getting ready to once again welcome one of the world's greatest team sporting events as Minnesota will be home to the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

The club, in Chaska in the Minnesota River Valley, will host this major golfing event from September 27 to October 2 next year, and to add to to the number of people heading there increasing air routes into the region have been announced.

Among the first is a new Virgin Atlantic direct flight from London to Detroit which launches shortly.

These developments mean there are fabulous opportunities to partner with Great Lakes to secure bookings to the region, using these major global sporting events as a powerful hook for consumers. .

The Hazeltine course was founded by former president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) Totten P. Heffelfinger. His mission was to build and maintain a golf course suitable for the conduct of national championships and this remains Hazeltine's mission to this day.

Whilst Minnesota offers hundreds of public golf courses characterised by beautiful, natural settings, excellent conditions and affordability, the Great Lakes region offers more than 3,000 top courses to choose from.

It is little wonder then that the Ryder Cup will return to the spectacular Great Lakes again in 2020, when the US and Europe will this time go head-to-head at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin which is home to two courses - the Straits and the Irish.

The Great Lakes' sports travel guide published for 2014 was very well received with tour operators, and consumers alike, demonstrating that sports tourism is continuing to flourish. The sell-out NFL games at Wembley this October 2014, where the Detroit Lions celebrated a 22-21 win, was a clear indication that there is a market for American Football within the UK, highlighting an opportunity to attract UK sports fans across the pond.

Already in Minnesota, preparations are underway to complete a new multi-purpose stadium, having won the bid to host the 52nd Super Bowl in Minneapolis in 2018. This will be the first time since 1992 that Minnesota will have the privilege of welcoming Super Bowl fans from across the globe.

The stadium, which will typically seat 65,400, will be expandable to 72,000 seats for the 2018 Super Bowl. With a clear, state-of-the-art roof and five of the largest glass pivoting doors in the world, fans will experience an outdoor feel in a climate-controlled environment.

“Securing the bid is a great and exciting victory for Minnesota,” said Toby McCarrick, executive director of Great Lakes USA.

“We're already working hard promoting all that Minnesota and the wider Great Lakes region offers for sports tourism. This will intensify over the next two years in the run up to the opening of the new stadium in 2016 which coincides with the Ryder Cup, and then through to the 2018 Super Bowl itself, as we work closely with tour operators to sell tickets and deliver engaging consumer promotions.”

Sports-related tourism is now one of the fastest growing sectors of the travel industry and on average 13 million international trips are made annually for the purpose of watching or taking part in a sporting event. Destinations can benefit from the economic impact sporting events generate, as visitors will still need accommodation, food and drink and are likely to experience other activities during their stay.

Virgin Atlantic is investing in a range of new transatlantic services including their new daily service from London Heathrow to Detroit.

Their chief executive Craig Kreeger says: “Our ambition is to be profitable for the long term, earn competitive returns, and invest those into providing the very best experience for our customers on the routes they most want to fly.”

Virgin Atlantic's belief in Detroit being one such destination is testament to Detroit Metro CVB (along with other partners including Pure Michigan and Great Lakes USA) investing into international tourism. Affectionately known as the 'Comeback City,' Detroit is proving its worth as a destination worthy of continued investment by global brands such as Virgin Atlantic.

The new route from London Heathrow to Detroit will form part of Virgin Atlantic's joint venture with Delta Air Lines, offering greater choice for consumers with the new service to Detroit offering connecting opportunities to the wider Great Lakes region.

Great Lakes USA is already in discussions with Virgin Atlantic and a number of tour operators regarding exciting marketing campaigns for the inaugural flight this spring, and trade and media familiarisation trips beyond the launch date.

On top of this Haimark Luxury Cruises is launching two new 10 day itineraries – Great Lakes Grand Discovery and The Historic St Lawrence River to America's Five Great Lakes – enabling consumers to discover the world's largest body of freshwater in unparalleled comfort and service.

Traditionally renowned for an extraordinary fleet of river vessels, Haimark's newest vessel, the luxurious and intimate 210-guest MS Saint Laurent, offers a one-of-a-kind small ship exploration experience with exclusive voyages to America's five Great Lakes.

As well as cruising the lakes, the itineraries include opportunities to visit the city of Chicago, to take a carriage ride on Mackinac Island in Lake Michigan, and to experience a comprehensive tour of Detroit's fascinating Henry Ford Museum.

Great Lakes USA will be working with Haimark Luxury Cruises and relevant tour operators to develop consumer packages and campaigns.

The cruises will be launching in May with staterooms, based on double occupancy, starting from £2,625 per passenger.