Many tourists come to Hải Phòng to play golf. Golf tourism has been picked to be key factor in Hải Phòng's tourism development plan. Photo tienphong.vn

HẢI PHÒNG — Hải Phòng will promote golf as one of the city's top tourism products in order to attract more domestic and international visitors.

It is synchornised with the sport tourism development which is part of the Tourism Development Strategy to 2030 issued by the Government.

Lê Khắc Nam, vice chairman of Hải Phòng City People's Committee, said at a recent seminar: "Hải Phòng tourism products have developed diversely and have formed new tourism products such as yacht tourism, sport tourism, agricultural – rural tourism and culinary tourism. Among them, food tours and golf tours have strong effects, becoming the typical specialities."

Hải Phòng has the advantage of being a traffic hub, the main gateway to the sea of ​​the entire North. From Hải Phòng people can have convenient travel to provinces and cities in the country, region and around the world with all types of transportation.

Nam added that Hải Phòng, having a convenient geographical location and flight distances, easily connects to the golf market in South Korea and Japan.

The city is home to beautiful natural landscapes and tropical climate, unique and delicious cuisine, as well as rich cultural aspects, which allow golf tourists and international tournaments to operate all year round.

Currently, there are four international-standard golf courses in Hải Phòng including the 27-hole Sono Belle Hải Phòng and the 36-hole Vinpearl Golf Hải Phòng in Thủy Nguyên District and 18-hole BRG Ruby Tree and 18-hole Dragon Golf Links in Đồ Sơn District.

An golfer competes in the National Golf Championship 2023 at the Vinpearl Golf Hải Phòng in August. Photo tienphong.vn

These are all large, professional golf courses with diverse and attractive natural landscapes, meeting the diverse needs of players. The venues attract a regular and stable number of high-class tourists in all year round.

In the near future, two more courses, Sakura Golf Course in An Lão District and Xuân Dám Golf Course on Cát Bà Island will be open to customers.

Chairman of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism Nguyễn Trùng Khánh said: "Việt Nam is considered as the ideal golf paradise of Asia with diverse terrain, long coastline, beautiful landscape, tropical climate and abundant sunshine year round.

"The World Travel Awards Organisation has voted Việt Nam as Asia's Leading Golf Destination in 2017-22 and World's Leading Golf Destination in 2019 and 2021.

"With four international-standard golf courses and two projects being implemented, Hải Phòng has been attracting a stable number of domestic and foreign tourists."

Dragon Golf Links is one of four international-standard golf courses in Hải Phòng. Photo of Dragon Golf Links

Sharing his opinion, Phạm Thành Trí, standing vice chairman of the Việt Nam Golf Tourism Association, said: "The association will promote Hải Phòng to become a famous golf destination like those in the central region. It will contribute to developing tourism for Hải Phòng."

Deputy Director of the city's Department of Tourism Vũ Huy Thưởng said that the department would make up plans to promote of this type of tourism; support travel agencies to add golf tourism in their products list; and combine golf with other tourism activities.

"It is expected that visitors to Hải Phong will not only enjoy golf but also experience other tourism products. The combination will make Hải Phòng an ideal destination for tourists," he said. VNS