All set for 7th Asia Golf Tourism Convention

THE 7th Asia Golf Tourism Convention ( AGTC) will open on April 23 at the Marriott Hotel, Resorts World in Pasay City.

More than 200 golf tour operators from 33 countries will participate in the event considered as the most extensive series of golf familiarization tour ever undertaken in Asia.

Peter Walton, chief executive of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), the organizer of the event, said that in 2017, IAGTO’s 683 international golf tour operators recorded an 8.8 percent growth in golf vacation sales. The positive development marked IAGTO’s sixth year of consecutive growth.

forward bookings taken by golf tour operators were up by 10.8 percent compared to the same time last year according to Walton.

Viet Dung (right) presents an AGTC Flag to chief operating officer of the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board Cesar Montano at the AGTC 2017 closing ceremony in Vietnam.

“Golf courses, golf resorts and hotels in Asia reported golf visitor arrivals up by 9.2 percent in 2017, demonstrating that golf travel

continues to outstrip the growth of general leisure tourism by a sig-

“Golfers spend 120 percent more per person per day in destination compared to general leisure tourists, which is more than double. This is revenue for the country’s tourism industry and not just the golf courses, as 75 percent of spend is concentrated on hotels, restaurants, shopping and transportation.”

The organizers are expecting that close to 1,000 meetings will take place between tourist boards, golf resorts, golf clubs, hotels, transportation companies and other golf tourism service providers, and the golf tour operator buyers during the convention.

Among the featured destinations are Tagaytay Highlands, Clark-Angeles City, and Boracay.

Visitors will also experience golf in Metro Manila courses among them Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club and Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

The country’s Tourism Promotions Board sponsored the golf convention.