NEWS

Government of Thailand launches bid to make country 'hub' of golf in Asia

By PGA.com
Published on
The Government of Thailand has embarked on an ambitious program to develop and position the royal kingdom as "Asia's Golf Hub," government officials have announced. This is a collective policy decision by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and its three agencies -- the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Sports Authority of Thailand and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau. This forward-looking initiative is directed at the global golf industry with a view to making Thailand the Asian hub for golf tourism, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution. Spearheading the thrust will be the 2010 Asia Pacific Golf Summit, scheduled for Oct. 18-20 in Bangkok. "We are delighted that such a prestigious event will help us launch our plan to make Thailand the hub of Asian golf and we are confident that the impressive line-up of international speakers at this event will show proof that Thailand is an important business centre for golf in Asia," said Suraphon Svetasreni, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. A total of nine major international golf conferences and exhibitions will be staged in Thailand this year and in 2011, and Thailand will become the home for the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame, which will be a permanent museum dedicated to the superstars of the sport and the home to the "Oscars" of the region’s golf industry -- the Annual Asia-Pacific Golf Awards Program. The various golf events planned for Thailand over the next 18 months are all produced by Asia Pacific Golf Development Conferences Pte Ltd. "We are extremely pleased with the support that the government of Thailand is according to us and working in partnership with the TAT, SAT and TCEB, we are confident that all of our events in Bangkok will prove to be huge hits both in terms of content and attendance," said Mike Sebastian, managing director of APGDC.