Hanoi boosts golf tourism to attract more international visitors

Hanoi will fully tap its golf tourism potential to make the service a focal point attracting international tourists to the capital city, especially those from key markets such as South Korea, Japan, the US, and Europe, said the Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism, Nguyen Hong Minh.

The capital has large, professional, international standard golf courses with diverse and attractive natural landscapes, Minh said at the "Potential and Orientation for Development of Golf Tourism in Hanoi" held in the capital city on April 14.

Hanoi has a big potential to develop golf tourism. Photo courtesy of Golf course Long Bien

He said the capital has all factors in developing golf tourism, with standard golf courses such as Long Bien, Van Tri Golf Club, Kings Island Golf, Minh Tri, Legend Hill... and about 10 training golf courses, in addition to ancillary systems and accommodation facilities, which are quite diverse and professional, especially 4-5 star resort hotels, including big brands such as JW Marriott, Sheraton, Metropole…

Besides the potential and advantages, the city's golf tourism still faces difficulties competing with other countries in the region, such as the high cost, which results in a small number of domestic tourists. Golf tourism has not been connected with other types of tourism or with each other, nor have any professional and methodical promotion solutions.

For golf tourism to thrive and become an outstanding and highly competitive tourism product of Vietnam's tourism and Hanoi's tourism in particular, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Golf Tourism Association Pham Thanh Tri called for reducing special consumption tax (now 20%) so that the country's golf tourism products can compete with those of Southeast Asian countries. Besides, it is necessary to strengthen information exchange among golf clubs.

"It is necessary to expand the golf tourism market for tourists in Europe, the US, Australia, Southeast Asia... by organizing golf exchange activities and tournaments between golf teams from Vietnam and other countries,” Pham Thanh Tri suggested.

Le Tien Dung, a representative of Green Tourism Company in Long Bien District, said that the connection between golf courses and travel agencies is still weak, in addition to the lack of information, making the promotion and introduction for high-end tourists limited.

"There is a shortage of high-quality personnel to serve high-class guests, while the training of human resources with expertise and techniques is insufficient," Dung said.

Golf is a sport suitable for all family members and all ages. Visitors to the golf course should have a good time with their families while satisfying their passion for this sport. I hope golf course owners will boost coordination with travel agencies to develop golf tourism packages."

He said the government needs to create conditions to support tour operators connecting with airlines, golf courses, destinations, and hotels,” Dung added.

According to Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association Cao Thi Ngoc Lan, Vietnam received 1.8 million international tourists in the first two months of 2023, including 800,000 golf tourists. The country was selected by the World Golf Award as the best golf destination in the world and Asia in 2019, 2021, and 2022. The Vietnam Golf Tourism Association was voted by the World Golf Award, as the best golf tourism association in 2022.

Lan reiterated that golf tourism brings high profits and that Vietnam's tourism industry wants to develop.

Tourists play golf at Dong Mo golf course (Hanoi) during the Hanoi Golf Festival 2022. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times