Vietnam looks to welcome more golf travellers post-pandemic

Awarded with the World’s and Asia’s Best Golf Destination, Vietnam has competitive edges to gain a stronger foothold in the golf tourism market post-COVID-19.

There are about 60 million golf players worldwide, and Vietnam is completely capable of conquering this segment, according to Secretary-General of the Vietnam Golf Association (VGA) Le Hung Nam,

Anticipating a growing golf tourism trend ways before the COVID-19 broke out, Vietnamese developers have invested heavily in building golf courses across the country, said Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

It is likely that golf tours will remain attractive to luxury travellers post-pandemic, he added, stressing the need for Vietnam to further accelerate investment in golf tourism, a type of service viewed as highly safe and low contact at the time of COVID-19.

Nguyen Hoang Minh, Director General of Vietnam Golf Services (VGS) Corporation, said Vietnam had about 26,000 golf players between 2019 – 2020 and the number increased to some 51,000 this year, which only represents around 90 percent of the actual number

The figure will be growing even further when the country reopens doors to international visitors, Minh said.

Golf courses must get prepared to welcome back foreign tourists when international travel resumes, Sieu said, adding that it is crucial to apply technology for greater exchanges among golf clubs and better connection among golf courses and local authorities must help improve linkages among tour operators to boost golf tourism.

Echoing Sieu’s view, VGA Chairman Nguyen Van Linh said the linkages among tour operators, airlines, golf courses, destinations, restaurants and hotels are very important to luring more golf players to Vietnam.

Additionally, Vietnam needs to open more golf tournaments, attractive enough to both local and international golfers, he said.

In late October, Vietnam was named the World's and Asia's Best Golf Destination 2021 at the eighth annual World Golf Awards held in Dubai.

It was the second year the country has been honoured with the world title and the fifth consecutive year with the regional title since 2017./.