In a bid to add golf tourism to their industry portfolio, the Department of Tourism aims to make the Philippines one of the leading countries for golfers.
Boasting over a hundred golf courses in the country, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco emphasized the importance of the sport in the country’s tourism, citing the multi-billion market of the industry.
“With our stunning scenery, our favorable climates, our world-class courses, as well as our unique selling proposition, the Philippines can become a premier destination for golfers around the world,” Garcia-Frasco said at the inaugural Philippine Golf Tourism Summit on Nov. 28.
“Golf tourism represents a promising frontier for the Philippines, and the summit highlights our proactive approach in understanding, nurturing, listening to the golf tourism industry, and developing this niche as part of our tourism industry portfolio,” she added.
Golf courses in the country
The country will lean on the current golf infrastructure as they plan to work with public and private stakeholders to incentivize golf courses, provide better sports settings, and increase their capacity to hold more golfers.
There will also be numerous world-class golf courses set to open in the country. Billionaire Manny Villar leads this list as he plans to build a massive golf course on his 3,500-hectare Villar City that spans 15 cities south of Manila.
He plans to establish two casinos on the site, one of which will be built beside the golf course.
Villar is also set to to build a central business area, an amusement park, and a sizable events arena on the site in addition to the casino-golf complex.
Villar's foray into the golf course development business is indicative of his resolve to become a significant force in the luxury industry.
Global golf tourism is expected to grow by about USD41.87 billion dollars in 2030.
Recent world golf standing
Three Filipino golfers competed in the last Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, solidifying the country’s current standing in the sport.
Former US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso, alongside Bianca Pagdangan and Juvic Pagunsan all represented the Philippines in the biennial games, albeit on a medal-less campaign. Saso has since changed her nationality, now representing Japan in international competitions.
In the 2023 Asian Games, Filipino golfers left with no medals bagged, a huge dip from their three-medal tally in the 2018 Continental tilt. Despite the recent setbacks, Filipino golfers remain optimistic about their chances of qualifying in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
These campaigns from Filipino athletes could become a catalyst for the country’s golf tourism plans.
