Published:  08:25 Tuesday - May 09, 2017

The sixth Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) officially opened in the central coastal city of Da Nang on May 8, bringing together some 600 delegates from 37 countries, including about 240 buyers who are globally renowned golf tour operators with a market share of over 40% of the world’s golf tourists.

The three-day convention, organised by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), is without doubt the premier golf travel event in the Asia-Pacific region and in Vietnam, the highest-trending golf destination in Asia at the moment.

Diverse activities will be held on the framework of the AGTC 2017, including business meetings between partners in the golf and restaurant industries; international seminars on the values of golf tourism; Famtrip programmes to survey products; media and press activities; and a friendly golf tournament, among others.

According to the Da Nang Tourism Department, IAGTO statistics show that there are currently approximately 56 million golfers all over the world, and the golf tourism industry is ranked third in terms of tourist motivation in Asia.

As many as 169 golf tour operators in 41 countries, which are members of the IAGTO, are exploiting golf tourism in the Asian market and wish to expand the market in Vietnam, targeting a 50% increase in the number of buyers for the Vietnamese market.

As estimated by IAGTO, Da Nang will raise its revenue from golf tourism to US$40 million per year in the 2018-2019 period.

The hosting of the 2017 AGTC contributes to promoting the development of high-quality tourism in Da Nang in line with the city’s plans for tourism development. This also offers a good chance for the central coastal city to boost golf tourism, increase tourism spending and advertise Da Nang as a new destination for global-level events.

In addition, the convention provides opportunities for Da Nang travel agencies to foster ties with international partners in supplying golf support services such as traveling, accommodation, sight-seeing and resorts.

Nhan Dan