Thanks to its modern accommodation infrastructure, world-class golf course system, and the host of many major golf events such as the BRG Open Golf Championship Danang or the Asia Golf Tourism Convention, Da Nang has been rapidly positioning itself as an attractive destination for golfers at both home and abroad.
The Ba Na Hills Golf Club was named among top 100 golf resorts in the world and ranked first in Asia by the prestigious US Golf Magazine in 2024. Photo: Ngoc Ha
Attraction for golfers
Da Nang now has three international-class golf courses: Legend Da Nang Golf Resort (including 2 Nicklaus and Norman courses); Ba Na Hills Golf Club and BRG Da Nang Golf Resort. With unique terrain, the golf courses are designed by experienced legendary golfers and are highly appreciated by experts and players.
Among them, Ba Na Hills Golf Club was named among top 100 golf resorts in the world and ranked first in Asia by the prestigious US Golf Magazine in 2024. Last year, the total number of golf rounds of the three golf courses in Da Nang reached more than 386,000, up 5% over the same period in 2023. The figure is forecast to continue to increase as Da Nang is becoming a new destination for golfers around the world, especially those from Asia.
Mr. Cao Tri Dung, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, acknowledged that Da Nang has truly become a golf tourism centre when the local ecosystem of golf products is extremely rich and highly competitive. Around Da Nang, within a radius of about 50km, there are eight high-class, quality golf courses designed by famous golfers.
In addition, golf courses are close to the airport and major attractions of the city, making it convenient for travel. They boast high quality and well-maintained infrastructure, and diverse accompanying services such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping and entertainment areas.
Sharing the same opinion, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Chairman of Da Nang Travel Association cum Director of Omega Tours Company shared that the golf tourism is chosen by many customers. For Da Nang, the golf tourist market is mainly from Asia, especially South Korea. Golf tour participants usually stay for 5-6 days, most of them want to experience all the golf courses. Besides playing golf, they take a city tour, and visit some of popular tourist attractions in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province.
"Many golfers bring their families, while the parents play golf, the children go sightseeing and relax because the distance from the golf courses to other tourist destinations is not too far. Therefore, golf customers use a variety of services, have high spending ability, and stay for a long time, thereby stimulating the high-end resort segment. The city's addition of new international flights makes travel between countries more convenient, expecting to expand the golf tourist market to Da Nang in the near future" said Mr. Ngoc Anh.
BRG Open Golf Championship Danang 2024. Photo: Ngoc Ha
Enhancing golf tourism
Infrastructure and golf tourism product development is identified as key directions in Viet Nam’s tourism development strategy to 2030 approved by the Prime Minister. In recent times, the city has quickly approached global golf organisations and hosted major golf events and tournaments, including the BRG Open Golf Championship Danang and the Asia Golf Tourism Convention in 2017.
This year, the Asia Golf Tourism Convention 2025 will return to Da Nang for the second time and take place for 7 days. This year’s event will see the participation of about 450 delegates, including 100 domestic and 350 international delegates from more than 35 countries and territories that are official members of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). They are golf experts, golf tour operators, golf course operators, and golf suppliers.
The Asia Golf Tourism Convention 2025 will feature a host of activities, including a golf course survey programme for golf tour operators. It offers an opportunity to promote the city's infrastructure and golf tourism potential to the international market, and attract more golfers and golf businesses to Da Nang, thereby contributing to fostering the local tourism industry, and affirming the city’s position as a Asia's leading festival and event destination.
According to Mr. Cao Tri Dung, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, the return of the Asia Golf Tourism Convention 2025 proves that the city's attraction is very good, and the city is highly appreciated by golf experts for its organizational capacity and the accompanying ecosystem for golf, affirming Da Nang's position on the global golf map, especially in Asia. This is the belief and basis for Da Nang to continue to identify golf as one of the pillar tourism types in the coming time in accordance with the city's tourism development orientation.
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh's observation, many customers choose golf tourism to combine playing golf and discussing work quite commonly. Many customers now become investors in Da Nang in particular, and the central provinces and Viet Nam in general. Therefore, golf tourism also opens up opportunities for local economic development, and there needs to be a long-term strategy for golf tourism for the destination of Da Nang in the new context.
Reporting by Ngoc Ha - Translating by M.Dung
