Thailand Golf Travel Mart 2018 tees up at Phuket 12:00, 26/07/2018

Once again, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is hosting golf tour operators and buyers  from  key  international  markets  and  presenting  them  with  an  outstanding opportunity to meet with suppliers and golf course owners from around the Kingdom.

Mr.  Tanes  Petsuwan,  TAT  Deputy  Governor  for  Marketing  Communications  said, “Thailand excels at delivering a complete golf experience. Not only the diversity of courses  and  standardised  amenities,  but  also  unique  local  experiences  makes Thailand competitive on both a regional and global level.”

Among the local experiences, Thai food is best loved by foreign travellers. This has resulted in promoting ‘Golf and Gastronomy’ after Thailand has seen its first Michelin Bangkok Guide and  the upcoming Phuket and Phang-Nga version to be launched later this year.

Mr. Tanes added “The TGTM 2018 will strengthen the country’s position as the world’s leading golf destination. This will also enhance a new image of Phuket as a rising golf destination as well as the global sports destinations. In fact, Phuket has long  catered to  extensive  range  of  sporting experiences;  such  as,  surfing,  marathon,  triathlon, cycling, and so on, along with hosted various domestic and international competitions.”

At the golf trade event this time, the issue of sustainability and environment impact has also been addressed and put into action. All delegates have been encouraged to use a tumbler in order to decrease the use of plastic, glass and bottles.

Thai golf tourism has emerged as a promising segment in Thailand, bringing in a huge revenue to the country. In 2016, a total of around 400,000 serious players came to tee off in Thailand generating income of around 138.5 million USD (4.88 billion Baht). The average  spending  per  person  for  golf  is  around  346  USD  (12,215  Baht),  which  is ranked as the second highest of all travelling activities in Thailand.

More than 128  buyers from 30 countries have confirmed attendance to the TGTM 2018 with the majority coming from Asia (62 buyers) and the ASEAN region  (35  buyers). Intra-regional markets continue to generate the largest percentage of inbound golf tourism arrivals to  the country due  to the  proximity of Thailand  and  the  kingdom’s excellent reputation for offering a truly world-class golf experience.

There are also expected to  be 27 buyers attending from Europe and four from  the USA. A total of 111 local sellers representing Thai golf courses, tour operators, hotels and travel agents are also planning to be on hand to sell their products and services. Plus, an additional 41 representatives from overseas media are invited to cover this event.