Singapore: More than 35 golf clubs from across the region will participate in this week’s inaugural SPH (Singapore Press Holdings) Golf Travel Fair.
Together with the tourism offices of Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, representatives from a host of award-winning courses will showcase their facilities and present unbeatable deals at the atrium of Marina Square Shopping Mall.
Malaysia’s Kota Permai Golf & Country Club and The Els Club and Thailand’s Laguna Golf Phuket, Golf Facility Members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation, are among the high-profile clubs taking part.
During the three-day fair, official travel agent, UOB Travel, will be responsible for processing the bookings made and being the conduit between the clubs and guests.
Taking place from April 6-8, this travel-centric golf exhibition looks to take advantage of the Republic’s location in the heart of Southeast Asia and its high density of golfers.
With the number of golf courses reducing in the country due to Government land acquisition – from 22 in 2001 to 15 by mid-2018 and 13 by 2030 – golfers here will increasingly have to look elsewhere to play the game.
As publisher of Golf Vacations magazine, SPH Pacom Pte Ltd’s Managing Director Karen Chan, the brainchild behind this event, understands the potential for golf travel is growing.
“There is no sport like golf. Each golf course is unique and offers visiting golfers a different experience every time they travel for golf,” said Chan, whose company, SPH Pacom Pte Ltd, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd and an Associate Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
“Southeast Asia alone consists of more than 700 golf courses. Hopefully this inaugural SPH Golf Travel Fair will provide the springboard to bigger and greater shows in the future,” she said.
With the strength of its media outreach, the SPH Golf Travel Fair is tipped for a bright future. Consisting of newspapers such as The Straits Times and Business Times, coupled with periodicals Golf Vacations and Golf/Women as well as online assets such as SPHGolf.com, they are able to reach over 3.3 million potential consumers throughout the marketing period of the fair.
This week’s SPH Golf Travel Fair is slated to be the biggest of its kind in the country.
In addition to the golf courses, other exhibitors like Prudential, TaylorMade and adidas Golf will be at hand to showcase their services.
Deals aside, there will also be fun and games with attractive daily prizes on offer, including travel packages from participating vendors.
Golf fanatic and radio DJ Andre Hoeden, Executive Producer of ONE FM91.3, will act as host throughout the gathering.
As the official station of the SPH Golf Travel Fair, ONE FM91.3 will broadcast live on-site throughout the duration of the event.
Thanks to a collaboration between the SPH Golf Card and Club Wyndham Asia, each new sign-up or renewal of the nation’s most comprehensive golf privileges programme will receive a complimentary stay at either the Wyndham Sea Pearl Resort Phuket, Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside or Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay.
The SPH Golf Travel Fair is open to public and admission is free throughout all three days.