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| Representatives from Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Hue City People’s Committee, and delegates performing the opening ceremony of the conference |
The conference was directed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MOCST) and Hue City People’s Committee, co-organized by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam Sports Administration, Hue City Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, 54 Group, and Vietnam Golf Association (VGA). Attendees included Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ho An Phong, Director General of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNTA) Nguyen Trung Khanh, and Standing Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh.
Enormous Potential for Growth
Deputy Minister Ho An Phong emphasized that golf is becoming an integral part of Vietnam’s high-quality and sustainable tourism strategy.
Under the 2030 vision, MOCST aims to orient golf as a premium tourism product and a comprehensive economic, cultural, sports, and tourism industry, contributing to green growth, regional development, and national branding. Golf is expected to serve as a bridge between sports, tourism, investment, and education, through which Vietnam not only welcomes golf tourists but also develops professional training, international events, and a network of golf destinations that reflect Vietnamese identity. This is a concrete step toward realizing the “Vietnam Golf Vision 2030”, aiming at having a sustainable, integrated, and Vietnamese culturally rich golf industry.
MOCST encourages localities to strengthen regional linkages to form “national golf destination clusters”. Among these, Central Vietnam, particularly Hue, has the potential to become the hub of an integrated chain of golf, resort, cultural, wellness, and local experience products. Through this approach, Vietnam can gradually build and promote its own national golf tourism brand.
According to Director of VGA Nguyen Trung Khanh, golf is not only a sport but also a major revenue-generating service. In 2022, Vietnam’s golf tourism revenue reached USD 600 million, expected to hit USD 1 billion by 2025, accounting for about 2.7% of total national tourism revenue, and could reach several billion dollars by 2030 with appropriate investment.
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| Travel enterprises visiting and conducting surveys to develop tourism products at Golden Sands Golf Resort |
Vietnam is considered an ideal golf destination in Asia, thanks to its diverse terrain, long coastline with beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and landscapes, and tropical climate, all of which are highly favorable for golf course and golf tourism investment and development. The country’s golf courses are of high quality, built in scenic locations and often integrated with luxury resorts across the nation, creating a strong appeal for visitors seeking relaxation and recreation.
Driving Golf Tourism in Hue and Vietnam
According to Deputy Minister Ho An Phong, Hue is a leading tourism destination in Vietnam and Asia, serving as the center of the Central Heritage Route. This city embodies both national and global heritage values, with eight UNESCO-recognized World Heritage sites, along with distinctive cultural traditions, abundant tourism resources, and warm, hospitable people. In recent years, the city’s tourism industry has undergone remarkable transformation and growth. At the conference, delegates, golf course owners, international golf associations, experts, and major tourism and resort corporations expressed their support and solidarity with Hue, backing the city’s efforts to develop tourism, particularly golf tourism, and shared their sympathy for the local community affected by the recent floods. On the side lines of the event, participants donated contributions to assist Hue residents impacted by the storms and floods.
Standing Member of Hue City Party Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee, Nguyen Thanh Binh, emphasized that Hue has clearly identified golf tourism development as a strategic direction in its roadmap to becoming a “City of Heritage, Festivals, Smart Tourism, Friendliness, and Sustainability.” He stated that golf is not merely a tourism product, but rather a comprehensive ecosystem - a place where sports, leisure, wellness, culture, environment, and heritage intertwine to create a unique and enriching experience for visitors.
Currently, the city is finalizing its master plan and calling for investment in 11 integrated golf resort projects across the area. Notable examples include the Laguna Lang Co Golf Club - a masterpiece of nature designed by golf legend Nick Faldo - and the BRG Golden Sands Golf Resort, which won the National Urban Planning Award. These projects stand as testaments to Hue’s vision and potential in developing the golf tourism sector.
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| Golf course owners, international golf associations, and experts attending the conference in Hue |
To develop golf tourism, Director of VNTA Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized the need to implement a range of strategic solutions. First, it is essential to raise public awareness of the importance and role of tourism - specifically golf tourism - in the national economy. Golf tourism should be recognized as a high–value-added industry that creates jobs, contributes to the state budget, and positively impacts related sectors such as aviation, hospitality, sports, resort real estate, and retail. Particularly, it is vital to refine legal frameworks and introduce supportive policies to promote the development of golf tourism in Vietnam. At the same time, Vietnam needs to develop training programs for golf tourism professionals that meet international standards, ensuring a skilled and competitive workforce for this growing sector.
In addition, it is necessary to apply science and technology in the investment, construction, operation, and management of golf courses to achieve high efficiency while protecting the environment. Efforts should also focus on strengthening linkages and partnerships between travel enterprises and golf course investors to create attractive and competitively priced golf tourism product and service packages. Moreover, closer cooperation between tourism businesses, golf investors, and localities is needed to develop comprehensive golf tourism chains that combine golfing, resort stays, cuisine, wellness, and cultural-natural exploration experiences. Finally, it is essential to intensify communication, promotion, and marketing efforts to enhance the visibility and appeal of Vietnam’s golf tourism both domestically and internationally.
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Nearly 700 Million VND Donated to Support Flood-Affected Residents in Hue
Responding to the appeal from the MOCST, the organizing committee of the Golf Course Owners - Vietnam Golf Tourism Development Conference launched a fundraising campaign to send meaningful gifts to local people, helping them overcome difficulties caused by recent storms and floods. At the donation ceremony, participating units contributed a total of 690 million VND to aid the people of Hue. |
As the founder and CEO of 54 Group, Mr. Jed Moore observed that the world is changing every day - from investment flows to how audiences engage with sports, as well as advances in technology and media. Given these global shifts, he emphasized that Vietnam and its localities need a distinctive approach: to use golf as a catalyst for development, but also to look beyond golf itself, toward coordinated collaboration among ministries, industries, investors, and communities under a shared, unified vision.
Ms. Renate Roeleveld, Executive Director of the European Golf Course Association, noted that Hue possesses natural advantages, including beautiful golf courses and rich cultural and historical assets, making it highly suitable for tourism development. However, she pointed out that Hue needs to build a complete golf tourism ecosystem, closely tied to high-quality accompanying services.
Standing Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh emphasized that Hue does not aim to expand golf development in terms of scale or the number of projects, but rather focuses on quality, identity, and sustainability - closely linked with community development, environmental protection, and local culture. He affirmed that Hue is always ready to cooperate with visionary, dedicated, and socially responsible investors. As the host city of the conference, Hue aspires to become a “connecting hub” in the golf development network of Central Vietnam and the entire country. The city aims to be an annual destination for national and international golf events, serving as a platform for experience sharing, innovation testing, and spreading the positive values of the golf industry.