What does it take for a region to become a successful, sought-after international golf tourism destination? Vietnam’s booming Central Coast, which this month celebrates five years of golf, ticks all boxes.
What does it take for a region to become a successful, sought-after international golf tourism destination?
Great courses, attractive prices, easy access, an inviting climate, high quality accommodation, beaches, mountains and scenery, a safe environment, interesting local food, culture and history and friendly people are all part of the perfect formula. But few golf destinations can claim all these ingredients, so when a region has the whole package, success inevitably follows.
Vietnam’s booming Central Coast, which this month celebrates five years of golf, ticks all boxes. The result has been growth from zero to more than 100,000 rounds a year in just half a decade.
This month marks five years since the first rounds were played at Montgomerie Links Vietnam. Now, the Central Coast, promoted internationally as Golf Coast Vietnam, is one of Asia’s top golf destinations. More than 250,000 rounds have been played there since September 2009, a remarkable achievement for an area with no previous golf history and with the nearest course still more than 500 kilometres away.
The three courses near Danang – Montgomerie Links, Danang Golf Club and Laguna Lang Co – have each added a new dimension to playing golf in Asia. Designed by three modern greats of the game – Colin Montgomerie, Greg Norman and Sir Nick Faldo.
The influx of golf visitors to Danang since 2009 is part of a tourism boom that will see international visitors pass one million in 2014, 35 percent above 2013 arrivals. As Vietnam’s fourth largest city, Danang has long been a popular destination for Vietnamese and foreign visitors. Three UNESCO World Heritage attractions – the ancient trading port of Hoi An, the citadel in the former imperial city of Hue, and the My Son (Hindu) Sanctuary – make it a region of immense cultural and historic importance.
The number of direct international flights has grown steadily since a new airport terminal opened two years ago. Executive director of Montgomerie Links Vietnam, Jon Tomlinson, says the region’s major golf tourism markets are South Korea and Japan with Australia and the United Kingdom leading western long-haul markets.
Golf visitors to the Central Coast are invariably especially impressed with the quality and diversity of the golf experience. Each course is different. Montgomerie Links is a beautifully presented resort-style layout, Danang Golf Club has exposed sand dunes and a distinct links feel, while Laguna Lang Co is a multi-environment layout with jungle, creeks, rice paddy, beach and sandy blowouts on the course. A fourth course, Ba Na Hills in the Danang hinterland, is currently under construction and is expected to open in late 2015 or early 2016.
