Khanh Hoa in the central province of Vietnam has great potential for golf tourism due to its quality courses, favorable climate, and recent tournaments.
Travel companies anticipate an influx of visitors, especially from countries like South Korea and Japan, seeking winter holidays with a mix of relaxation and golf.
Chairman Ung Van Nhut of Global Open Tour JSC highlighted Khanh Hoa’s advantages for golf tourism, citing its low rainfall allowing year-round play, multiple well-equipped golf courses like the one on Hon Tre Island, and short flight durations from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan (China) to the province.
Inter Travel representative mentioned offering 3D golf services to cater to Korean tourists’ interest in golf, providing them with frequent play opportunities regardless of weather or cost concerns. Nhut emphasized the necessity for further investment to develop golf as a tourism product, pointing out the need for additional amenities, like night-time entertainment services in Bai Dai (Long Beach) area, and addressing the relatively high costs of services at the Hon Tre Island course.
Advocating for increased tourism promotion, the suggestion is to organize more golf tournaments in Khanh Hoa to enhance the province’s visibility and draw more visitors. It’s proposed that authorities support travel companies in collaborating to improve connectivity among golf destinations.
Additionally, proposing the idea of a unified golf tournament across existing courses in Khanh Hoa or establishing a golf tour connecting Nha Trang with Da Lat to offer tourists a richer experience across these renowned coastal and resort cities.
Vinpearl DIC Legends Vietnam 2023, scheduled from November 27 to December 2 in Nha Trang, will showcase friendly matches and official competitions involving 60 golf legends.
Notable participants include Michael Campbell, winner of the 2005 US Open, Ian Woosnam, victor of the 1991 Masters Tournament, and Paul McGinley, who clinched four European Tour titles and captained the 2004 Ryder Cup team.
This event, a part of the Legends Tour, marks Vietnam as the first Southeast Asian host for this tour. Earlier in April, the KN Golf Links Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa held Asia’s premier golf tournament, the International Series Vietnam 2023.
Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, highlighted the rising prominence of golf tourism in Vietnam. He expressed that hosting golf tournaments is crucial for Vietnam to gain recognition in the global professional golf circuit and further boost the tourism sector.
Emphasizing the Government’s endorsed tourism strategy for 2030, Khanh pointed out that golf tourism is identified as a pivotal trend capable of enhancing socioeconomic progress and driving travel demand in the country.
Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, Director of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Department, highlighted the emerging trend of golf tourism and high-quality sports tourism in the province.
Acknowledging the increasing interest among investors to construct additional golf courses, she indicated that the local tourism sector aims to focus on developing diverse golf tours to cater to travelers in the upcoming period.
