GolfAsian, Named As Official Golf Tour Operator For Vietnam"s Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail

Saigon, Vietnam (PRWEB) October 8, 2008

Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail, just a year old but already Asia’s most talked about golfing itinerary, has retained Indochina’s largest golf tour operator Golfasian, as the Trail’s official tour operator partner.

Starting October 1, the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail visitors to the can book their entire itineraries through Golfasian, which last year enabled more than 3,000 golfer visits (some 860 separate parties) to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

“Handling ‘travelers’ and handling ‘golfers who travel’ are two very different things,” said Jim Sullivan, director of Mandarin Media/Asia-Pacific, which created the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail in 2007 and continues its administration. “By directing all booking inquires to Golfasian, we are putting golfers in the hands of people who know this part of the world intimately, who understand the logistics involved, and who have created thousands of these itineraries — not just last year, but over the course of 15 years in this business.”

Over the last 10 years, Golfasian has facilitated the visit of 11,979 golfers to Thailand; for the 2007-2008 season alone, which ended in September, this amounted to 10,500 room nights at hotels and 16,500 rounds of golf, according to Golfasian Managing Director Mark Siegel. “In our most recent year of operation in Thailand,” Siegel said, “we generated more than 16,500 rounds of golf. In Vietnam, we expect to build up to this level within 5 years.”

“Golfasian will be a boon for the member and lodging links of the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail, and for golf tourism in Vietnam in general,” added Sullivan. “We’re committed to improving the attraction and practicality of playing the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail. We’re improving the product — the new Montgomerie Links Vietnam in Danang is scheduled to join the Trail in early 2009, along with other branded sponsors — and our partnership with Golfasian enables golfers to better access that product.”

The Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail doesn’t merely assemble Vietnam’s best golfing venues in a North-South fashion, like its namesake trail. It pairs these first-class clubs and resorts with some of the most remarkable, luxury accommodations in world golf, while connecting golfers themselves to all the Trail’s cultural offerings and transport options through its partnership with Golfasian.

The golfing world has taken notice. Hundreds of stories have been written about the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail since its launch July 1, 2007, including recent feature coverage in publications like the New York Times (March 9, 2008), Outside’s Go (May 2008) and the Asian Wall Street Journal (April 2008). In December 2007, the International Golf Travel Writers Association pegged Vietnam as its “Undiscovered Destination of the Year”, based on the country’s allure, course quality, and standard of accommodation. The award was a crowning moment in a pivotal year for Vietnam golf — the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail launched on July 1, and two months later came formation of the Vietnam Golf Association.

“Vietnam has really come of age as a tourist destination during the last two years,” said Golfasian’s Siegel, noting another larger milestone: Vietnam’s admission to the World Trade Organization in late 2006. “We’ve seen a huge spike in interest regarding golf in Vietnam, thanks in large part to the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail. But there’s a difference between reading a story about how wonderful a golf destination is and actually having that experience. That’s what we deliver: the first-class experience and dependability traveling golfers expect.”

Golfing stops on the Trail include:

Chi Linh Star Golf Club, a dazzling 18 outside Hanoi and recent host to the Asian PGA Tour’s Carlsberg Masters, with 9 new holes and another 9 on the way.
Dalat Palace Golf Club, a mile-high gem, the only wall-to-wall bentgrass course in Southeast Asia, laid out in the 1920s for Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam.
Ocean Dunes Golf Club, a wind-swept Nick Faldo design, a “tropical links” lapped by the warm waters of the South China Sea.
Dong Nai Golf Resort, a breathtaking, 27-hole track laid out by American Ward Northrup, whose design skirts a scenic chain of natural lakes.
Vietnam Golf & Country Club, home to 36 pristine, otherwise private holes just 20 minutes from downtown Ho Chi Minh City.
King’s Island Country Club, Hanoi’s oldest club and home to two 18s that play over some of the finest, most diverse golfing terrain in Southeast Asia.
For more information on the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail, or to make travel plans for a tour of the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail, visit http://www.hochiminhgolftrail.com.

Golfasian can be reached directly at http://www.golfasian.com or info @ golfasian.com.

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GolfAsian, Named As Official Golf Tour Operator For Vietnam"s Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail

Remote Lands Announces Extraordinary Golf Journeys To Asia

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 6, 2007

Remote Lands, Inc., America’s only provider of luxury bespoke travel and private jet journeys focused exclusively on Asia, is pleased to announce tailor-made golf journeys to Asia. Travelers can play Asia’s most exciting courses while enjoying insider connections that only Remote Lands offers. Private access to the region’s finest courses, as well as the opportunity to learn and play with highly-regarded local golf professionals, is just part of Remote Lands’ golf journeys. The company matches clients’ preferred destinations and desired level of play to the perfect courses and hotels, resorts or private villas, to create an unforgettable experience. While golf will be the focus of the journey, Remote Lands also provides unparalleled access to a wealth of cultural and culinary experiences in each destination to give travelers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local surroundings. Remote Lands’ bespoke Asian golf journeys begin at approximately $ 1,500 per person per day, non-inclusive of international airfare, private jet charters, helicopters, and personal staff including chefs, trainers, instructors, and other professionals.

Golf experiences can be planned throughout Asia, including trips to China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia. Other noteworthy golf destinations include Vietnam, Burma, the Philippines, as well as Bhutan, location of the world’s highest golf course. The Royal Thimpu Golf Club is the host of the Yak Open tournament which awards yak parts as prizes. Remote Lands can arrange for their clients to play golf at Bali’s top-rated golf club, the Nirwana Bali Golf Club, or at the Handara Kosaido Country Club, where the course is located inside an extinct volcano. Golfers may play rounds at the largest golf club in the world, Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. Mission Hills boasts 12 championship courses, each designed by noted golf professionals including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Nick Faldo, and offers 216 holes in all. Players may also schedule a tee time at the Bangpoo Country Club, just outside Bangkok, Thailand for a round of golf on the Arnold Palmer-designed course. Golf can be played in the Vietnamese highlands, where the country’s top-ranked club, the Dalat Palace Golf Club, is located. In the Philippines, Remote Lands can arrange for golfers to tee off on the Arnold Palmer-designed course at the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Cavite before enjoying dinner in the home of a Filipino golf champion.

Throughout each golf journey, travelers can enjoy an array of services and experiences such as dinners with local golf champions and coaches, rounds with the continent’s best caddies or even be accompanied by a top international player or coach to play alongside them. Remote Lands can arrange for private tee times and even provide the opportunity for their clients to be the only people playing the course at a given time. Personalized golf clubs and wardrobes, as well as a golf cart of choice, are just a few of the special services Remote Lands can provide for their clients.

In addition to golf, Remote Lands immerses their clients in the most extraordinary of cultural experiences. These include a private dinner with a Balinese Prince and his family in their royal palace, including a performance by Balinese singers and dancers. After a long day of golf, guests can experience a tooth filing ceremony, an ancient ritual believed to ward off evil spirits and negative energy, in a rural Balinese village. Another option in Bali is witnessing fascinating Kecak fire dance performances (on hot coals, where the entranced dancer feels no pain) and a Sanghyang dance traditionally performed as an exorcism to promote peace and health within a village. In Thailand, golfers can spend an afternoon participating in the ordination ceremony of a young monk, followed by a dinner hosted by members of the Thai Royal Family in their home. Private cooking lessons in the homes of Vietnamese fishermen or attending a family celebration such as a wedding or religious ceremony are a few of the options available in Vietnam. Dinner with a prominent Bhutanese family can cap off a day of play on the world’s highest golf course.

Remote Lands actively promotes socially responsible tourism and donates five percent of its profits directly to local charities in Asian countries for sustainable development tourism projects. The company’s aim is to protect and enhance the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents — and to help foster a sense of national identity and pride.

For inquiries or to make reservations, please call (646) 415 8092 or visit http://www.remotelands.com.

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More Malaysia Heritage Tourism Press Releases

Remote Lands Announces Extraordinary Golf Journeys To Asia

Asian Golf Tourism Specialist Posts Record Increases

Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) March 14, 2012

Golfasian Co. Ltd., South-East Asia’s largest dedicated pure-play golf tour operator has reported a 68 percent increase in turnover for the 12-months ending February 2012. This industry-leading boost in golf holiday revenue is a direct consequence of growing popularity in Asian golf tourism and demonstrates the company’s superior service quality and product diversity.

Golfasian (http://www.golfasian.com) reported that year-on-year golf visitor volume rose 23.4% to 5514 golfers, while median revenue per person increased 29.1% to $ US1450. Thailand accounted for 79% of the company’s revenue, Vietnam 11%, while Malaysia and the rest of South-East Asia each contributed 5%.

The company’s golf stay-and-play packages continued to fuel growth, comprising more than 80% of total revenues. Tee-off golf packages accounted for 7% of revenue, while on-line golf bookings remained sluggish, contributing less than 3% of turnover.

“In 2011 we witnessed a rapid build-up of Asian golf tourism,” said managing director, Mark Siegel. “Demand for our services was particularly strong during the traditional high season as more customers chose to use Golfasian for the superior golf holiday experience we offer.”

Bucking the outsourcing trend of the travel industry, Golfasian has invested heavily in vertical infrastructure, including establishing regional offices in all of South-East Asia’s golfing hubs, hiring dedicated local area managers, procuring its own fleet of company vehicles and drivers, choosing Singapore as its new corporate headquarters, and starting dedicated golf travel ventures in Vietnam and Malaysia.

“Our expansion will further enhance the company’s service reputation and market-leading position with both overseas partners and end-clients,” Mark Siegel said.

On the business development side, the company continues to maintain a remarkable online presence using its network of high-ranked web sites to attract new clients at a rate of 30 per day.

Business Development Manager, Pascal Orczech, said that while most companies in the region were cutting marketing expenditures, Golfasian’s spending had increased. “By reaching out to overseas agents and golfing clients, we’ve been able to convince them of the tremendous value of our golf tours, especially multi-destinations and those which combine golf and cultural travel.

“This year, we will start to offer golf packages in emerging destinations like Burma, Laos, and southern China. These destinations, especially when combined with the traditional golf holiday areas, will further add to the attractiveness and uniqueness of our stay-and-play golf packages, while also being very affordable for most golf travelers.”

For more information about golf holidays to South-East Asia, visit http://www.golfasian.com

About Golfasian

A privately-held Bangkok, Thailand based company; Golfasian was established in 1997 is the largest pure-play dedicated Asian golf tour operator. The company packages golf, tours, hotels, and transportation to offer clients total golfing experiences with exceptional quality, value and diversity.

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For more information, contact:

Paul Myers, Asian Travel Media, Bangkok

Email: paul(at)asiantravelmedia(dot)com

Tel: +66 (0) 84 125 1894

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More Malaysia Cultural Tourism Press Releases

Asian Golf Tourism Specialist Posts Record Increases

Vietnam Golf Tours Launches the Ultimate Website for Golf in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) (PRWEB) August 17, 2011

Golf as a sport has been going through troubled times recently. There was the controversy about Tiger Woods that didnt do the sport any good. TV viewer ship has gone down. With the recession looming large, many golf courses in the west have even had to close down. The only saving grace is the fact that golf as a sport is growing in the east. Several new golf courses are opening and people from all corners of the world are actually traveling to countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and others to play the game. A new website, http://www.VietnamGolfTours.com, is now promoting the game in Vietnam. Thanks to the website, Vietnam golf is certainly on an upswing.

Those who are still new to golf in Vietnam and Indochina may be surprised to know that there are a few really outstanding golf courses in the region. In fact, some of these courses have been designed by Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie and other famous golf design companies. Many of them are located in exotic locations close to the World Heritage Sites. The Vietnamese golf courses are located in Saigon, Hanoi, Phan Thiet & Mui Ne, Dalat, Danang and in Hoi An. There are courses that are close to the incredibly beautiful Halong Bay, the heritage of Hue Ancient Imperial Citadel and the My Son Holy Land. On your trip to Vietnam, you could play the game and do some traveling to these exotic locations in the Far East.

Imagine awakening to a perfect sunrise from an ocean front villa, followed by 18 holes of championship golf courses. Mongtgomerie Links Vietnam, which have been routed to capitalize on its close proximity to both the warm, tranquil East Sea and striking Marble Mountains which are clearly visible from various points on the courses. Montgomerie Links Vietnam has the good fortune of having truly outstanding natural features. The sandy soil, wind-blown dunes, and indigenous vegetation combine to create the framework for a very strong links golf course. In the meanwhile Danang Gold Club is located along Vietnams stunning Central Coast and amid a wild, seaside landscape almost identical to what the worlds first golf courses were carved from, an experience was crafted as much by Mother Nature as it was by the legendary Greg Norman. In other words, its links-style golf in the truest sense of the term. And its here, in Asia, for the very first time, for golfers to enjoy.

Sea Links Golf & Country Club is the second course in Phan Thiet, joining Ocean Dunes Golf Club as two jewels in this Vietnamese coastal town. Sea Links Golf Club is built on an area of 160 hectares on a cliff with wild and beautiful sand dunes. The golf course is practically at the sea level, just a few minutes from Full Moon Beach and with amazing views of the ocean below. The courses designers, Ronald Fream and Golfplan Company, highlight that the course retains much of the original terrain of white sand dunes. Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6746-yard par 72 course at Ocean Dunes Golf Club winds through seaside dunes, with the coastal breezes shaping its character day-to-day. It is an engaging and playable course for higher handicapped players who will enjoy the openness of the links-course. The Ocean Dunes Golf Club is an outstanding natural site with sand dunes, sea breezes, beach vegetation, and sea views. “We have let the dunes determine the routing and the look of the golf course. It should have the feel and the playability of the early seaside courses, but with a tropical climate” says Nick Faldo.

VietnamGolfTours.com is the first company that specializes in golf and the selling of Vietnam golf packages. The fact is, this is one company that has more than ten years of knowledge and expertise in the travel, tourism and golf business. VietnamGolfTours.com is the one-stop shop that covers all the vacation requirements of a golf tourist. It can help the golfer find best accommodations, make the transport arrangements, learn about the different golfing destinations in the country and book the Vietnam golf courses, discover the tourist attractions in the country and help them visit the places of interest. The website also provides useful tips on the best places to eat, shopping experiences, nightlife of bustling Saigon City and helps them select their golfing gifts.

The website is offering several golf packages that will keep the tourists at some of the biggest hotels in the region. Many of them are among the best-known hotels anywhere in the world as well. There are various packages that range between three days and eighteen days. But, the golf tours can also be personalized to suit the unique requirements of the traveler. The website will be happy to help you with whatever you need. This is Vietnam golf planning at its best.

VietnamGolfTours.com plans and organizes Vietnam golf tours and vacations to Vietnam. The website does this for other countries in Indochina as well, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Cambodia. You can select from any of the several golf packages on offer, and you can also place a request for a custom-made plan. Please visit http://www.vietnamgolftours.com to learn more about golfing in Vietnam and to learn more about the business.

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Vietnam Golf Tours Launches the Ultimate Website for Golf in Vietnam

(PRWEB) July 25, 2012 Bangkok — Thailand will remain Asia’s market leader in golf tourism because other countries can’t match the kingdom’s “secret weapon” the Thai people and especially golf course caddies according to the largest dedicated inbound golf tourism operator in the region. Mark Siegel, whose company, Golfasian, will this year bring 6000 international golf tourists to south-east Asia, mostly to Thailand, told a group of visiting Asian golf journalists the kingdom would stay ahead of rival golf destinations because of the special way visitors are welcomed. “You can probably find countries with better golf courses, maybe with better value, nicer weather and better infrastructure, but nowhere else matches the genuine friendliness of the Thai people,” he said. “In Thailand, everyone is treated as a guest. They are considered part of the family as soon as they arrive. The people do it because they are happy, not because it’s good business. Kids in Thailand are taught to be nice. “Visiting golfers experience genuine Thai friendship in many ways, but especially with caddies, who really have fun and are extremely helpful and knowledgeable about golf. They also like their jobs. It’s not an act. They are Thai golf’s secret weapon. Everyone who comes to Thailand to play golf is a winner.” The statistics bear out his claim. This year, 600,000 golf tourists are expected to visit Thailand, an increase of more than 15 percent over 2011, making the kingdom the world’s third most popular golf destination after Spain and the United States. This small but important and growing tourism sector is now worth $ US2 billion a year in ground arrangements alone. Despite efforts by other regional destinations, including Malaysia, China and Vietnam to capitalise on Thailand’s popularity as a golf destination, none have come close. And while Europe and Australia have been major feeder markets for inbound Thai golf tourism for the past decade, more visiting foreign golfers already come from regional Asia especially Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore than other markets combined. As the popularity of golf increases in China and affluence grows throughout Asia, Mark Siegel says the region will remain the driving force of golf tourism to Thailand for some time to come. This was a major reason why the Tourism Authority of Thailand invited the golf writers from China, Japan and Korea with two others from India and one from Singapore to visit Thailand on a combined media visit designed exclusively to showcase Thai golf to Asian journalists. It was not only TAT’S first combined media visit from more than one country, but the first opportunity for most of the writers to experience Thailand’s best courses. In Bangkok, the group played at Thai Country Club near Bangkok, which for seven of the past eight years has been judged best course in Thailand, and Muang Kaew. In Hua Hin, they visited Black Mountain, which pipped Thai Country Club for top place at last year’s Asia Pacific Golf Summit, as well as Banyan Golf Club, the number three course in Thailand. In Pattaya, Siam Country Club’s Plantation course, judged best-maintained course in the kingdom, and Laem Chabang also hosted the group. All courses are members of the co-operative marketing group, Golf In A Kingdom (http://www.golfinakingdom.com), which includes Thailand’s best courses, as well as top hotels and resorts around the country. The editor of Golf Digest Korea, S.K. Lee, said he was delighted to see and play the top courses and he was impressed. “The quality is excellent and is cheaper than in Korea,” he said. Indian sports writer, Vedam Jaishanker, who covered Indian cricket tours around the world for 20 years and now writes for the Mumbai-based Daily News and Analysis from his home city of Bangalore, had only previously played golf once in Thailand and said he hadn’t realised how impressive were the leading courses. “I think there is a big opportunity for Indian golfers to play in Thailand. One possible opportunity is the wedding market. Thailand has become a major destination for Indian people to get married, which gives wedding guests who come for the occasion the chance to also play golf.” Thai People a "Secret Weapon" for Golf Tourism

(PRWEB) July 25, 2012

Bangkok — Thailand will remain Asia’s market leader in golf tourism because other countries can’t match the kingdom’s “secret weapon” the Thai people and especially golf course caddies according to the largest dedicated inbound golf tourism operator in the region.

Mark Siegel, whose company, Golfasian, will this year bring 6000 international golf tourists to south-east Asia, mostly to Thailand, told a group of visiting Asian golf journalists the kingdom would stay ahead of rival golf destinations because of the special way visitors are welcomed.

“You can probably find countries with better golf courses, maybe with better value, nicer weather and better infrastructure, but nowhere else matches the genuine friendliness of the Thai people,” he said.

“In Thailand, everyone is treated as a guest. They are considered part of the family as soon as they arrive. The people do it because they are happy, not because it’s good business. Kids in Thailand are taught to be nice.

“Visiting golfers experience genuine Thai friendship in many ways, but especially with caddies, who really have fun and are extremely helpful and knowledgeable about golf. They also like their jobs. It’s not an act. They are Thai golf’s secret weapon. Everyone who comes to Thailand to play golf is a winner.”

The statistics bear out his claim. This year, 600,000 golf tourists are expected to visit Thailand, an increase of more than 15 percent over 2011, making the kingdom the world’s third most popular golf destination after Spain and the United States.

This small but important and growing tourism sector is now worth $ US2 billion a year in ground arrangements alone.

Despite efforts by other regional destinations, including Malaysia, China and Vietnam to capitalise on Thailand’s popularity as a golf destination, none have come close.

And while Europe and Australia have been major feeder markets for inbound Thai golf tourism for the past decade, more visiting foreign golfers already come from regional Asia especially Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore than other markets combined. As the popularity of golf increases in China and affluence grows throughout Asia, Mark Siegel says the region will remain the driving force of golf tourism to Thailand for some time to come.

This was a major reason why the Tourism Authority of Thailand invited the golf writers from China, Japan and Korea with two others from India and one from Singapore to visit Thailand on a combined media visit designed exclusively to showcase Thai golf to Asian journalists.

It was not only TAT’S first combined media visit from more than one country, but the first opportunity for most of the writers to experience Thailand’s best courses.

In Bangkok, the group played at Thai Country Club near Bangkok, which for seven of the past eight years has been judged best course in Thailand, and Muang Kaew. In Hua Hin, they visited Black Mountain, which pipped Thai Country Club for top place at last year’s Asia Pacific Golf Summit, as well as Banyan Golf Club, the number three course in Thailand. In Pattaya, Siam Country Club’s Plantation course, judged best-maintained course in the kingdom, and Laem Chabang also hosted the group.

All courses are members of the co-operative marketing group, Golf In A Kingdom (http://www.golfinakingdom.com), which includes Thailand’s best courses, as well as top hotels and resorts around the country.

The editor of Golf Digest Korea, S.K. Lee, said he was delighted to see and play the top courses and he was impressed. “The quality is excellent and is cheaper than in Korea,” he said.

Indian sports writer, Vedam Jaishanker, who covered Indian cricket tours around the world for 20 years and now writes for the Mumbai-based Daily News and Analysis from his home city of Bangalore, had only previously played golf once in Thailand and said he hadn’t realised how impressive were the leading courses.

“I think there is a big opportunity for Indian golfers to play in Thailand. One possible opportunity is the wedding market. Thailand has become a major destination for Indian people to get married, which gives wedding guests who come for the occasion the chance to also play golf.”

Thai People a "Secret Weapon" for Golf Tourism

Bangkok (PRWEB) August 29, 2012 Asia’s largest and most successful golf tourism destination marketing program, Golf In A Kingdom, is expanding with the addition of three new prestige members. The program – which promotes Thailand’s leading golf courses, hotels and resorts – now includes the Jack Nicklaus-designed Laem Chabang International Country Club near Pattaya, Suwan Golf and Country Club outside Bangkok and The Chedi, one of the leading hotels in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. The additions bring the number of golf course members in Golf In A Kingdom to nine and the number of hotels and resorts to 12. Member properties are located in all Thailand’s top golf destinations: Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chiang Mai. With the Tourism Authority of Thailand also a leading member of Golf In A Kingdom and strongly promoting inbound golf tourism, Thailand’s number one position as the leading golf destination in Asia is set to remain intact well into the future. “Thailand has done everything right in promoting the country’s wonderful golf assets and golf tourism experiences,” says Golf In A Kingdom founder, Mark Siegel. “Thailand offers a complete package of excellent courses and infrastructure, with fun, entertainment and service. This year up to 600,000 foreign golfers are expected to visit Thailand and they will spend an estimated 60 billion baht ($ US2 billion) in the country alone, so the figures speak for themselves. “The ongoing success of Golf In A Kingdom after almost five years shows how highly the program is regarded and how important golf tourism is to Thailand.” Laem Chabang, a 27-hole complex that opened in 1992, is 30 kilometers from Pattaya and 110km from Bangkok. The separate Mountain, Lake and Valley nine-hole layouts are among more than 300 golf courses in play worldwide that the 18-times Majors winner designed or has been involved through his company, Nicklaus Design. Each nine-hole course at Laem Chabang is a close-to-nature experience that is visually stunning and always challenging. The Valley nine in particular, at 3619 yards, is 200 yards longer than the Lake and Mountain nines. It features water on many holes and demands precision shot making off the tee and into greens that are well guarded by water and sand. The Mountain course begins as a jungle-like experience, before opening up to wider fairways and excellent fast greens. Laem Chabang has hosted numerous championship events, including the 2001 Volvo Classic and the 2002 Thai Senior Open. Suwan Golf & Country Club opened in 2005 and has hosted five professional tournaments – the 2010, 2011, and 2012 Thailand Open and Asian Tour events in 2009 and 2010. The challenging layout, 45 minutes’ drive west of Bangkok, plays to 7100 yards from the championship tees and has water in play on all but three holes. Always presented in excellent condition, the Paspalum fairways and Bermuda greens are among the best in the Bangkok area. Suwan is a semi-private club that caters for visiting international and local players at highly competitive rates. There are 20 rooms in on-site hotel-style accommodation. Managing director Pongsak Pongsakorn says Suwan provides visitors a local Thai golf experience that is different to western destinations. “The atmosphere on the course and in the clubhouse reflects Thai style and culture.” He hopes Suwan’s membership in Golf In A Kingdom will help grow Thai golf tourism in Europe, North America and other markets. The Chedi, Chiang Mai’s only five-star hotel along the Mae Ping River, is in a compound-style setting near the center of town. Set behind a bamboo-clad wall, the restaurant area of the 84-room property was once the British Consulate. General manager Stefan Noll says Chiang Mai is a perfect location for golf tourism. “Courses are not overly crowded, are very high quality and are reasonably priced. As a high-end hotel, The Chedi caters for inbound golfers who can come leave Chiang Mai without having to go back through Bangkok.” The hotel’s top three external markets are the United States, Thailand and the United Kingdom, with Australia, Germany and Switzerland also strongly represented. Golf course members of Golf In A Kingdom are: Banyan Golf Club and Black Mountain Golf Club near Hua Hin, Siam Country Club’s Old Course and Plantation Course and Laem Chabang near Pattaya, Thai Country Club and Muang Kaew Golf Club in Bangkok, and Chiang Mai Highlands at Chiang Mai. Hotel and resort members are: Banyan Resort, Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Veranda Resort & Spa in Hua Hin and Cha-am; Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa on Phuket; Veranda Resort & Spa and The Chedi at Chiang Mai; Millennium Hilton and The St Regis, Bangkok. For more information, visit http://www.golfinakingdom.com ——————————————————————- For more photos or additional information, contact: Pascal Orczech Director of Business Development | Golfasian Co., Ltd. +66-(0)2-714-8470 | pascal(at)golfasian(dot)com | http://www.golfasian.com The #1 Golf Experts in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia & Indonesia! Three New Members Join Golf In A Kingdom

Bangkok (PRWEB) August 29, 2012

Asia’s largest and most successful golf tourism destination marketing program, Golf In A Kingdom, is expanding with the addition of three new prestige members.

The program – which promotes Thailand’s leading golf courses, hotels and resorts – now includes the Jack Nicklaus-designed Laem Chabang International Country Club near Pattaya, Suwan Golf and Country Club outside Bangkok and The Chedi, one of the leading hotels in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

The additions bring the number of golf course members in Golf In A Kingdom to nine and the number of hotels and resorts to 12. Member properties are located in all Thailand’s top golf destinations: Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

With the Tourism Authority of Thailand also a leading member of Golf In A Kingdom and strongly promoting inbound golf tourism, Thailand’s number one position as the leading golf destination in Asia is set to remain intact well into the future.

“Thailand has done everything right in promoting the country’s wonderful golf assets and golf tourism experiences,” says Golf In A Kingdom founder, Mark Siegel.

“Thailand offers a complete package of excellent courses and infrastructure, with fun, entertainment and service. This year up to 600,000 foreign golfers are expected to visit Thailand and they will spend an estimated 60 billion baht ($ US2 billion) in the country alone, so the figures speak for themselves.

“The ongoing success of Golf In A Kingdom after almost five years shows how highly the program is regarded and how important golf tourism is to Thailand.”

Laem Chabang, a 27-hole complex that opened in 1992, is 30 kilometers from Pattaya and 110km from Bangkok. The separate Mountain, Lake and Valley nine-hole layouts are among more than 300 golf courses in play worldwide that the 18-times Majors winner designed or has been involved through his company, Nicklaus Design.

Each nine-hole course at Laem Chabang is a close-to-nature experience that is visually stunning and always challenging. The Valley nine in particular, at 3619 yards, is 200 yards longer than the Lake and Mountain nines. It features water on many holes and demands precision shot making off the tee and into greens that are well guarded by water and sand.

The Mountain course begins as a jungle-like experience, before opening up to wider fairways and excellent fast greens.

Laem Chabang has hosted numerous championship events, including the 2001 Volvo Classic and the 2002 Thai Senior Open.

Suwan Golf & Country Club opened in 2005 and has hosted five professional tournaments – the 2010, 2011, and 2012 Thailand Open and Asian Tour events in 2009 and 2010.

The challenging layout, 45 minutes’ drive west of Bangkok, plays to 7100 yards from the championship tees and has water in play on all but three holes. Always presented in excellent condition, the Paspalum fairways and Bermuda greens are among the best in the Bangkok area.

Suwan is a semi-private club that caters for visiting international and local players at highly competitive rates. There are 20 rooms in on-site hotel-style accommodation.

Managing director Pongsak Pongsakorn says Suwan provides visitors a local Thai golf experience that is different to western destinations. “The atmosphere on the course and in the clubhouse reflects Thai style and culture.”

He hopes Suwan’s membership in Golf In A Kingdom will help grow Thai golf tourism in Europe, North America and other markets.

The Chedi, Chiang Mai’s only five-star hotel along the Mae Ping River, is in a compound-style setting near the center of town. Set behind a bamboo-clad wall, the restaurant area of the 84-room property was once the British Consulate.

General manager Stefan Noll says Chiang Mai is a perfect location for golf tourism. “Courses are not overly crowded, are very high quality and are reasonably priced. As a high-end hotel, The Chedi caters for inbound golfers who can come leave Chiang Mai without having to go back through Bangkok.”

The hotel’s top three external markets are the United States, Thailand and the United Kingdom, with Australia, Germany and Switzerland also strongly represented.

Golf course members of Golf In A Kingdom are: Banyan Golf Club and Black Mountain Golf Club near Hua Hin, Siam Country Club’s Old Course and Plantation Course and Laem Chabang near Pattaya, Thai Country Club and Muang Kaew Golf Club in Bangkok, and Chiang Mai Highlands at Chiang Mai.

Hotel and resort members are: Banyan Resort, Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Veranda Resort & Spa in Hua Hin and Cha-am; Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa on Phuket; Veranda Resort & Spa and The Chedi at Chiang Mai; Millennium Hilton and The St Regis, Bangkok.

For more information, visit http://www.golfinakingdom.com

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For more photos or additional information, contact:

Pascal Orczech

Director of Business Development | Golfasian Co., Ltd.

+66-(0)2-714-8470 | pascal(at)golfasian(dot)com | http://www.golfasian.com

The #1 Golf Experts in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia & Indonesia!

Three New Members Join Golf In A Kingdom