Branded ‘AGTC on the Beach’, the sixth annual International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) in Danang will be Asia’s largest-ever golf tourism event.
Peter Walton, Chief Executive of organiser IAGTO, visited Danang last week to announce that this year’s AGTC has broken all previous records to attract the largest number of golf tour operators to attend such an event in Asia.
At a press conference at the Novotel Danang Han River Hotel, one of the official AGTC host hotels, Walton said: “With two months to go, already more than 240 golf tour operators from 36 countries have registered to attend AGTC. This clearly shows the appeal of Danang as one of Asia’s newest and most exciting golf destinations.”
Walton said 63% of the attending tour operators are from within Asia including 37 from Korea, 33 from China, 14 from Singapore and eight from both Japan and Hong Kong.
A total of 52 of the buyer delegates are from Europe (22%) with a further 22 from Australia and New Zealand and six from the United States.
From Vietnam, 36 delegates have registered, including representatives from Montgomerie Links, Danang Golf Club, Ba Na Hills Golf Club, BRG Danang Golf Resort, Laguna Golf Lang Co, The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club and the FLC Group.
As a result of hosting AGTC this year, Danang Department of Tourism expects that Danang will be recognised as the heart of golf tourism in Vietnam and that this will be a launch-pad for Danang to become one of Asia’s most popular golf destinations.
In a further announcement, Walton revealed that the global golf tourism industry organisation had presented a Golf Tourism Strategy road map for Danang at the request of the Danang Department of Tourism, which would be formalised at the AGTC (May 7-13).
“A carefully laid out strategy is essential in order to convert the high level of interest in Danang into new business, ensuring that the experience of the golf visitor is maintained at the highest level and that the growth is sustainable,” he said.
Danang Department of Tourism expects growth as a direct result of the AGTC Convention to add US$20 million per year onto tourism receipts and for this annual increase on existing visitor revenue to double once new golf courses are opened.
Established in 2012 by IAGTO, AGTC is a three-day series of business meetings designed to give 18 Asia Pacific golf destinations, including Vietnam, the opportunity to do business with golf tour operators from around the globe, all of which are IAGTO members.
Following the meetings, 180 of these golf tour operators will then spend three days visiting the golf courses and hotels of Vietnam’s Central Coast region to help them sell the destination to golf travellers in key markets worldwide.
