Thailand targets golf tourism with Thailand Golf Travel Mart 15 - 20 May, 2004

About 150 - 180 global travel agents and tour operators specialising in golfing holidays are expected to participate in the 7th Thailand Golf Travel Mart scheduled for May 15-20, 2004, in Nakhon Pathom and Hua Hin/Cha-am (Phetchaburi).

The annual mart has been organised as part of the ongoing campaign “Thailand Golf Paradise”, which was launched in February 2002 to attract more golfers to Thailand and underscore the Kingdom’s rapidly growing popularity as a world-class golfing destination.

Well supported by Thai Airways International, the mart has been organised annually by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) since 1998 as part of the strategy to develop more niche-market travel to Thailand.

All through its six years, the mart has been rotated to different parts of the country including Pattaya (Chonburi), Kanchanaburi, Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong, Samut Prakan and Phuket to expose buyers to the quality of golf courses nationwide.

TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, Mrs. Phornsiri Manoharn said, “Golf is one of the world’s fastest growing sports. Thailand has more than 200 world-class golfing greens, many of which are designed by internationally-renowned golfers.

“The golf mart will further underscore Thailand's position as a quality golfing destination and create opportunities to initiate new golf packages,” Mrs. Phornsiri said. “It is in line with the TAT’s policy to promote travel and tourism to the provinces and disseminate tourism revenue nationwide,” she added.

TAT, Thai Airways and the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) have jointly invited about 150-180 specialist golf-holiday buyers, agents and media from Asia (60%), Europe (20%), the Americas (10%), Oceania (6%) and Africa (4%).

They will meet with 80 participating sellers at the mart, including golf courses and service providers like golf schools, equipment retailers, Thai travel agents and tour operators, hotels, spa operators and other related businesses.

THAI Airways has extended specially-discounted tickets and the Thailand Golf Course Association has coordinated with the golf courses to ensure that buyers get a chance to play at many of them.

Between May 15-17, the buyers will tour some of the best golf courses in Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Pattaya and Rayong. On 18 May, both buyers and sellers will join a golf tournament at the Royal Gems Golf and Sport Clubs and the Rose Garden Golf Club.

Later, they will participate in a trade show and the tournament award ceremony at the Rose Garden Aprime Resort, Nakhon Pathom, chaired by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, H.E. Mr. Sontaya Kunplome.

That will be followed by another two days of golf at the 10th Invitation Hua Hin / Cha-am Golf Tournament, which will be hosted by TAT. 

Mrs. Phornsiri said, “We are projecting that the number of international golfers to Thailand will rise from 350,000 to one million by 2007, with a total foreign exchange spending of 18.45 billion Baht.

“Events like the Golf Travel Mart are designed to help achieve this objective,” she said. “We thank all the cooperating airlines, associations, golf courses and the private sector for their valuable co-operation in making it possible.”