Golf In A Kingdom Invites Golf Tourism Executives to Thailand

Thailand’s emergence as a major force in global golf tourism will be further enhanced next week with the international launch of Golf In A Kingdom, a collection of some of the country’s best golf clubs, hotels and resorts.

Established five years ago, Golf In A Kingdom today has 23 members, comprising 12 courses and 10 hotels.

The international launch, to be held at Siam Country Club’s acclaimed Plantation Course on 1 May, will be attended by 60 golf tourism executives from Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.

“Thailand has grown in stature immensely in the past five years as a golf tourism destination,” said GIAK founder, Mark Siegel. “We estimate total inbound golf tourism will reach 750,000 this year, double the number at the time Golf In A Kingdom was launched, with at least half the visitors coming from within Asia itself ... Thailand receives more than 60% of all golf tourists to Asia and the way the market is developing, it is likely the Kingdom will pass one million inbound golf tourists within three years. Thailand will then challenge Spain and the United States as the world’s favourite golf destination. It seems inevitable that, eventually, Thailand will become number one.”

“Last year, Thailand welcomed 22 million international visitors, up 16% on 2011, about 3.5% of whom played golf. Although this may seem small, it is double the percentage of tourists who play golf in Malaysia and many times more than those who visit other Asian countries,” Siegel added.