Golfers Turn Overseas, Golf Tour Bookings Up 63%... Da Nang, Clark, and Bangkok Most Popular [Korean Golf Courses Losing Ground]

65.8% of Golf Participants Have Played Abroad
Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan Are Top Destinations
Excellent Facilities, Affordable Costs, and Sightseeing Opportunities

As golf course fees, which surged after the COVID-19 pandemic, have not shown any signs of decreasing, Korean golfers are increasingly turning their attention overseas. More and more people are opting for overseas golf trips, which are relatively less expensive.

According to Hanatour on June 20, bookings for overseas golf packages last year increased by 63% compared to the previous year. In Korea, a group of four people needs to spend over 400,000 won per round to play golf on weekends. The green fee alone amounts to around 300,000 won, and when adding cart fees, caddie fees, and food and beverage costs, the total expense becomes much higher. For the same amount of money, travelers can enjoy not only golf rounds but also a vacation in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Overseas, there are a variety of well-structured packages that combine golf and sightseeing. In particular, Japan is attracting significant attention from golfers because of its geographical proximity and the weak yen.

Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 is bustling with travelers preparing to go abroad. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

According to the "2023 Korea Golf Index," a survey conducted by the Korea Golf Association of 10,000 men and women aged 20 to 70 across 17 cities and provinces nationwide, 65.8% of golf participants said they had played golf overseas. The top destinations were Thailand (42.1%), the Philippines (32.2%), Vietnam (28.0%), Japan (26.1%), and China (14.3%), in that order.

According to Tiger Booking, a golf reservation platform operated by global golf tech company AGL, Da Nang, Vietnam has been the most popular overseas golf travel destination for Korean golfers over the past three years. Tiger Booking announced these findings after analyzing partnership data from Shinhan SOL, Jeju Air, Modetour, Singapore UOB Travel, and Hanatour Japan.

Da Nang is considered attractive not only for its reasonable prices but also for its excellent golf infrastructure, as well as its combination of tourism and resort elements. In fact, from September last year to April this year, about 14.33% of all overseas golf bookings were concentrated in Da Nang, and during the winter season, approximately 80% of users were Korean. Even among Southeast Asian destinations, Da Nang is highly favored for its well-designed and meticulously maintained courses, luxury resorts, and nearby attractions such as Hoi An.

Following Da Nang, the most popular overseas golf destinations were Clark in the Philippines (11.82%) and Bangkok in Thailand (9.79%), ranking second and third, respectively. Other top destinations included Nha Trang in Vietnam (4.05%) and Pattaya in Thailand (3.81%), while Chiang Mai, Phuket, Cebu, and Bali also continued to see steady demand.

Japan remains one of the top three golf travel destinations for Koreans. There are 2,240 golf courses evenly distributed across 47 prefectures in Japan. While no specific region in Japan ranked among the top destinations, the Kyushu region placed sixth. Recently, Japanese golf courses have been enhancing their services to attract Korean golfers by providing Korean-language guides and hiring Korean staff, among other customized offerings.

Da Nang, Vietnam is a popular golf travel destination for Korean golfers. Photo by Hanatour

An industry insider said, "Korean golfers' overseas golf travel has become significantly more diverse compared to the past, and cross-border golf trips are now a mainstream trend rather than a special experience." The insider added, "Unless there is an improvement in the domestic golf industry's pricing structure and services, the trend of golfers heading abroad?what is being called a 'golf exodus'?will likely continue for the time being."