The potential of Vietnam Golf 2020 09:42, 10/01/2020

Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh - General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

In recent years, Vietnam tourism has made breakthrough developments, creating a driving force for the development of other industries, contributing to the overall growth of the country.

Being rated as an ideal golfing destination in Asia with diverse terrain, long coastline, majestic scenery and tropical climate, Vietnam’s golf tourism has great potential to develop.

The number of international tourists coming to Vietnam to play golf has been increasing, especially from South Korea, Japan and Western Europe. In 2019, Vietnam welcomed four million Korean tourists, about one million Japanese visitors, many of whom play golf.

At present, the country has more than 60 golf courses up to international standard, spread across nearly 30 provinces and cities. It is expected that by 2020, Vietnam will have nearly 100 golf courses in operation.

In order to promote and develop golf tourism in Vietnam, a number of solutions need to be implemented, including:

1. Provide support policies and address difficulties regarding business conditions and investment procedures. Encourage investors to build golf courses according to government planning.

2. Organize market research, build and develop golf tourism products, build golf tours suitable to each of Vietnam's target international tourist markets.

3. Increase promotion and introduction of Vietnamese golf tourism products at regional and international golf tourism fairs.

4. Host and organize international professional golf tournaments successfully to attract top golfers to Vietnam to compete. Also, organize amateur golf tournaments for tourists.

Vietnam tourism 2019

• 18 million international visitors (a 16% increase compared to 2018), 85 million domestic visitors (a 6% increase ). The estimated total revenue from tourists is more than VND 720,000 billion (a 16% increase).

• The average growth rate of international tourists to Vietnam for 2016-2019 reached 22%, ranking in the top 10 countries attracting international tourists in the world.

• Awarded the "World's Leading Heritage Destination" and the "World's Best Golf Destination" by the World Golf Awards for the first time.

• Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index of Vietnam increased 12 ranks from 75th/141st in 2015 to 63rd/140th in 2019. The indicators for cultural resources and natural resources ranked among the top (according to the World Economics Forum).

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Mr. Nguyen Van Cuu - General Secretary of VGA

Over the past few years, the golf movement in Vietnam has made encouraging progress. Along with the rapid increasing number of golf courses and golfers across the country, golf tournaments for male/female golfers and juniors have also been organised widely with better quality and quantity. Specially, monthly professional golf tournaments attract the participation of professional golfers from Vietnam and foreigners living in the country. In the coming years, the Vietnam Golf Association will focus on professional golf development along with the successful amateur tournament system. In particular, junior golf will be more focussed on and invested in with the establishment of golf academies in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang. We also bring golf into schools, attract more international junior tournaments to Vietnam to create opportunities for them to learn. Local golf clubs also need to be concerned with the development of golf in the country.

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Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung - Deputy Director of High Performance Sports Department II Vietnam National Sports Administration

Golf in Vietnam has become popular with 60,000 players and more than 50 golf courses operating nationwide. The widespread golf movement in the country will be the premise for professional golf development. So, as the head of the tourism industry, we propose some plans for the coming years such as mobilizing social resources to build more golf facilities, attracting domestic and foreign funding complying with Vietnamese law to create funding sources for golf activities, socializing the sport of golf, organizing training programs for golf managers, trainers, and instructors, along with human resource plans.

Since the 30th SEA Games in Philippines, we noticed that Vietnam’s young athletes - despite having good skills - did not have stable performances. They also had poor competition experience and bad psychology leading to low results. In order to improve this, we spoke to their families and agreed to send them to practice at professional academies using socialization funding, in the form of long-term focus within two years to prepare for 31St SEA Games in Vietnam. On the occasion of New Year 2020, we wish the VGM team and all the readers good health, happiness and success.