The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) launched its inaugural Philippine Golf Experience (GolfEx) programme on Friday, 29th August.
The new sports tourism offering was developed to draw more foreign and local golfers into exploring the country’s fairways.
The launch held at Mimosa Plus Golf Course In the Central Luzon province of Pampanga featured lessons and a tournament for diplomats, enthusiasts, and professional players.
GolfEx is an offshoot of the DOT’s Philippine Experience Programme which aims to position the Philippines as the region’s next premier golf destination.
High-value low-impact tourism
At the launch, tourism secretary Christina Frasco declared: “Tourism, after all, is not only about how many people have arrived, but rather about how many livelihoods it sustains, how many enterprises it strengthens, and how deep the pride of place it nurtures across our communities.”
She added that golf captures this most beautifully as, if done sustainably, the sport is a high-value, low-impact form of tourism that draws travelers to stay longer, spend more, engage more deeply with local destinations, and later make their way back to the country for more.
In a separate interview, Professional Golfers Association of the Philippines (PGAP) executive secretary Elisa Bulawit said leveraging golf would certainly open up huge opportunities for the Philippines as the country’s courses and nearby travel destinations could easily compete with other nations.
Bulawit said in the vernacular: “If you would notice what Vietnam is doing, they’re also highlighting the best golf courses that they have and that's what the DOT is doing now. We have a lot of beautiful golf courses that have yet to be discovered by golf enthusiasts.”
Everything you need is here
Visiting golfers may also find all the requirements that they are looking for in the Philippines, including world-class service and the renowned Filipino hospitality.
According to Bulawit: “In Luzon, we have golf courses that would score 9/10 in terms of quality. And we also have those in Visayas and Mindanao.”
The DOT is setting its eyes on increasing Japanese, Koreans, and Americans visitors, both professional and amateur, to play and train in the country.
Frasco said the Philippines also intends to expand promotions in other source markets, such as Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and countries in Southeast Asia.
The secretary said: “The experience of the Philippines is like no other because it's not only the golf courses that are good in the country but also the destinations outside them. You can play golf one day, and then go to the beach the next, or you can even go diving.”
