Vietnam Golf Tourism implements an innovative policy to attract tourists
Golfers are usually people who have money and have a double level of spending than other normal tourists. Therefore, attracting more rich tourists to Vietnam to play golf is gradually becoming a hot trend in the incoming time.
The Deputy Director General of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism – Mr. Ngo Hoai Chung said that: “Vietnam has absolute advantages in developing golf tourism, in terms of both the tourist market and investment in developing golf courses and related services”.
However, golf tourism is almost undeveloped in Vietnam.
The connection between travel businesses and golf courses is so loose. That is the biggest reason why golf tours in Vietnam account for a relatively low rate. Golf tourism is not connected with MICE tourism, ships, resorts, caravan, … yet. In addition, its services system is still in the process of completion.
Mr. Chung also said that: “We have not held many professional tournaments yet, as well as have not linked with the golf courses in the region. This makes the products’ value is not high. Golf courses are not interested in promoting and actively cooperate with travel businesses to attract tourists”.
Golfers – people who have high imcome & a double level of spending than other normal tourists.
Around the country, we currently have 32 golf courses out of a total of 60 zoned golf courses by 2020 while our neighbors such as Indonesia has 152 golf courses, Malaysia has 230, and Thailand has 300 ones (nearly 10 times bigger than us).
Therefore, according to estimated data, the percentage of tourists coming to Vietnam to play golf accounts for only 0.8% of the total of more than 15 million international visitors to Vietnam, while this rate in Malaysia is 2% (over 25 million visitors), Thailand is 9% (over 35 million visitors).
Currently, the number of tourists coming to Vietnam plays golf mainly from markets with large numbers of golfers such as Japan, Korea, U.S.A, Taiwan, France, England, etc. As at Yen Dung golf course (Bac Dung ), up to 70-80% of visitors here are Koreans playing golf, of which half are tourists, half are professionals working in Vietnam.
Moreover, Vietnam lacks direct flights from Japan and South Korea to golf key areas. For example, golfers who want to go to Da Lat have to transfer to Hanoi, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore, in the coming time, some companies plan to exploit charter flights to bring golfers to Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, …
Meanwhile, golfers are often wealthy, with a double level of spending than normal tourists, according to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). In many countries, revenue from golf tourism from golf courses accounts for a very high proportion of total tourism revenue, accounting for 9% in Mauritius, 3.46% in Mexico, 3% in Thailand, …
Vietnam Golf Tourism Association was established to promote the development of golf tourism in Vietnam
In order to solve the above problem and attract more wealthy golfers to Vietnam, Vietnam officially launched the Vietnam Golf Tourism Association on March 29th. The Chairman of the Association is Mr. Nguyen Van Linh, the chairman of Bac Giang Provincial People’s Committee and 7 Vice Presidents who are directors of golf courses, the Department of Tourism, major travel enterprises, airlines, …
At the first Congress of the Golf Tourism Association, after launching the new Executive Board, Deputy General Director Ngo Hoai Chung requested that, soon after its establishment, the Association should soon develop a plan and set up a program for execution. Among them, including advising management agencies to issue support policies; solving difficulties in business conditions, investment procedures; studying and proposing special consumption tax exemption and reduction with golfing activities; creating favorable conditions for visitors to enter Vietnam to play golf, especially the market that send wealthy golfers to Vietnam, etc.
At the same time, the Association needs to connect golf courses with each other and golf courses in the region, golf courses with travel businesses to form rich and attractive golf tours, which extends the stay and spending of wealthy golfers; coordinate with airlines that have the charter flight to golf courses; promote and participate in golf tourism fairs, websites, advertising clips, hosting events, golf tournaments, bringing golf products to the world.
According to the World Golf Tourism Organization, there are more than 60 million golfers in the world, and the golf tourism industry ranks third in Asian tourism engines. Worldwide, there are 638 golf tour companies of 61 countries that are members of IAGTO, controlling 87% of the global market, generating 2.5 billion transactions per year, transporting 1.9 million golfers.
Golf tourism is considered as a tourism industry, bringing high revenue, creating many jobs.
