FOURTH THAILAND GOLF TRAVEL MART PROVES SUCCESSFUL

A total of 177 global buyers specialising in golfing holidays as well as golf- and tourism-related media will have met with 72 Thai sellers for a trade show, industry briefings and golf course inspections in the Fourth Thailand Golf Travel Mart during May 28 - June 1, 2001.

Designed to develop more niche-market sports travel to Thailand and underscore the Kingdom's rapidly growing popularity as a world-class golfing destination, this year's Travel Mart has highlighted the country's premium-quality golf courses in Bangkok, Pattaya, Rayong and Hua Hin.

The opening ceremony on May 28 was presided over by Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chairman H.E. Mr. Somsak Thepsutin who also struck the inaugural putt.

TAT Chairman Somsak commented, "The Mart is very much in line with the TAT's policy to promote new tourism niche products and disseminate tourism revenue to provincial areas.

"TAT is projecting that more than 350,000 golfers will visit Thailand in 2001. This will become a major source of the high-spending and long-staying visitors whom we are targetting, especially due to the economic impact they have in provincial destinations," he added.

Thailand's golf courses are proving especially attractive to the Japanese visitors for whom playing a round of golf in Thailand costs a fraction of what it would back home. Golf holidays also give visitors the opportunity to travel around to different parts of the country, creating income for the local people.

The Travel Mart attracted a total of 142 specialist golf-holiday buyers and 35 golf- and tourism-related media who were invited to Thailand to explore business prospects with representatives of 20 golf courses as well as 28 hotels, 17 tour operators, and 7 other tourism-related organisations.

In addition to the mart briefing, trade meet and promotions by the golf courses, buyers and sellers surveyed a number of golf courses and hotels in Pattaya, Rayong and Hua Hin between May 29-30. These included Eastern Star Golf Course, Great Lake Golf and Country Club, St. Andrews 2000, Purimas Beach Hotel and Sofitel Central Hua Hin. On June 1, both buyers and sellers will join the 7th Hua Hin/Cha-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Springfield Royal Country Club.

The Travel Mart was jointly organised by TAT, Thai Airways International and the Thailand Golf Course Association with the co-operation of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA). TAT invited specialist operators of golf holidays and media from Europe, the US, Australia and Asia.

Thai Airways offered specially priced air tickets; the Thailand Golf Course Association co-ordinated with the participating golf courses; and the THA and ATTA facilitated transport and accommodation for participants in Bangkok, Pattaya, Rayong and Hua Hin.

In addition to Thailand's first championship golf course built in the 1920s in Hua Hin, the country has seen a proliferation of nearly 150 nation-wide. The resort provinces surrounding Bangkok have witnessed the emergence of a number of courses designed by champion players like Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Dennis Griffiths.

Not only does Thailand offer golfers some of the most competitively priced green fees, but also service levels both on and off the course are second to none.