Basic HTML Version
O
verall, golf tourism follows
the world’s economic trends,
but according to Mark Siegel,
managing director of Golfa-
sian Co.Ltd, golf in Vietnam has con-
tinued to grow in spite of the global
economic slowdown.
Last year, Golfasian sent 1,150
golfers to Vietnam and Siegel says the
Thailand-based company expects to
double that figure this year: “Vietnam
golf holidays are relatively affordable
compared to other premium destina-
tions. The Vietnamese dong has contin-
ued to weaken and new courses have
opened, especially in the Central Coast.”
The growing interest in golfing in
Vietnam has inspired not only Golfa-
sian, but also other tour operators to
tap into this market.
Hanoi-based Luxury Travel has
launched a golf tour package to capi-
talise on Central Vietnam’s growing
golf appeal, due to the improved
air access and new products in the
area. Their six-day package allows
golf enthusiasts to play on Vietnam’s
world-class golf courses, such as
Montgomerie Links and Danang Golf
Club. Accommodation options include
beachfront resorts in Danang or Hoi
An, and sightseeing trips to Hue, Hoi
An or along the coastline.
Pham Ha, founder and CEO of Lux-
ury Travel, says: “We are launching the
new exciting golf packages to promote
Central Vietnam as a high-end golf des-
tination in Southeast Asia as we are
seeing interest rise from golfers from
the Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia,
Australia and New Zealand.”
The tourist demand for golf is
quite new in Vietnam’s golf industry,
which has had a solid foundation, par-
ticularly around Ho Chi Minh City and
Hanoi, with courses opening up to 20
years ago. Those greens catered to the
demand from foreign investors, busi-
nessmen and diplomats. Almost all the
courses here are still living off a com-
bination of these golfers and the ris-
ing number of Vietnamese who play
- around 15,000 at present, according
to the Vietnam Golf Association.
However, Siegel says Golfasian is
sending in more golfers from Europe and
Australia and, to a lesser degree Asia,
who want to combine golfing with a
vacation. In the past, most courses were
built around Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,
but today golfers have more options in
tourist destinations, such as Nha Trang,
Danang and Hue. Many resorts, such
as the Ho Tram Strip and Laguna Lang
Co, have developed a golf course as an
added service to their hotels.
“Golf tourists prefer to travel to
coastal and mountain resorts where the
atmosphere is more conducive to leisure
activities, therefore there are very few
golf tourists coming to Vietnam at pre-
sent. In Vietnam, golf in the main tourist
areas is still developing,” says Siegel.
The Central Coast of Vietnam, with
Danang Golf Club, Montgomerie Links,
Laguna Lang Co Golf Club and the soon-
to-be-built Ba Na Golf Club, will, ac-
cording to Siegel, mark Vietnam out
GOLF IN VIETNAM
14
timeout
GATHERS PACE
olf travel
g
Courses in Vietnam have long catered to the expatriate community, but re-
cently a new focus on tourism has radically altered the golfing landscape,
writes
Andy Tran