The Royal Coast Review was able to visit the 2019 Thailand Golf Expo at the BITEC Exhibition Centre (Bangkok) on 19TH May.
This was a gathering of golf businesses from equipment suppliers, golf booking agencies and membership clubs displaying their wares. This included at two golf ball manufacturers from India and China.
But most importantly golf courses from across the country were offering great deals for green fees and memberships with the Royal Coast, as the Asia Pacific golf destination of the year represented by six of our golf courses.
Springfield Royal Country Club, Palm Hills Golf Course & Residents, Sea Pines (Suan Son Pradet), Banyan Golf Course, Black Mountain Golf Course and the Imperial Lake View each actively and enthusiastically promoted golf tourism to our region at the Expo.
THE PROS
• A free event open to all
• Most of our golf courses participated
THE CONS
• The event could be bigger! With some exhibitors in cramped space; especially apparel sellers, a more spacious venue was required. At least one exhibitor commented on being denied a larger display area by the organisers.
• More entertainment with demonstrations and celebrated guests. There was not a high profile pro golfer in sight!
• Most offers being made by golf courses expired at the end of October with little available during the ‘high season’.
• Marketing of the event could only be described as limited. With Thailand golf under pressure from a number of other ASEAN countries, promoting Thailand Golf is vital!
The next opportunity to promote golfing on the Royal Coast will be at the Thailand golf travel mart (TGTM) 2019 in Chiang Mai as the Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT organises the 5th Thailand Golf Travel Mart or TGTM 2019 between 6th – 9th August.
This will be when over 200 sellers together and media from abroad emphasise Thailand as a World Class Golf Destination. See more at www.thailandgolftravelmart.com
