Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Moves are afoot to enhance golf club standards in Malaysia and explore strategic partnerships that will position the country as a leading golf tourism destination.

In a bid to progress golf in the country, senior executives from the Malaysian Association of Golf Recreational Club Owners (MAGRO) met with Dato’ Shaharuddin bin Abu Sohot, the Secretary-General of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), together with Tourism Malaysia representatives.

The meeting follows on the heels of October’s Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF) Annual International Summit where Tourism Malaysia’s Director General Datuk Manoharan Periasamy delivered a keynote address outlining plans for regional collaboration on golf tourism and calling on operators and travel distributors to design comprehensive, multi-country products that optimise value and experience.

Manoharan said Tourism Malaysia is implementing targeted initiatives across multiple channels to grow golf visitation and facilitate regional collaboration.

Currently, Tourism Malaysia conducts curated familiarisation trips for international travel agents and golf media, showcasing premier Malaysian courses and integrated packages, and is expanding these programmes to include multi-country itineraries.

They’ve also launched specialised golf packages including the ‘Unimaginable Golf Packages’ that combine premium golf with cultural experiences, wellness programmes, culinary tourism and natural attractions.

“These initiatives are designed to position Malaysia as a comprehensive golf destination, one that offers both world-class play and authentic local experiences,” said Manoharan, highlighting that Southeast Asia is strategically positioned between established golf markets like Japan, Korea and China, and emerging markets in South Asia and the Middle East.

He added: “The region currently boasts over 1,000 golf courses with Malaysia alone offering over 250 championship venues and diverse facilities. This collective capacity provides unparalleled product diversity, geographic proximity and the infrastructure for comprehensive multi-destination experiences that seamlessly combine golf with heritage sites, culinary tourism, wildlife encounters and island destinations.”

A representative for MAGRO said their organisation ‘looks forward to continued collaboration with MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia for the progress of the industry’.