Looking to promote golf tourism in a big way: Ministry

Aiming to cash in on the growing number of golfers, Tourism Ministry has decided to promote golf tourism in a big way to make the country a preferred golfing destination for people from across the world.
"The ministry promotes the 15 signature golf courses in India at every roadshow abroad... To attract foreign golf tourists and make the country a preferred golfing destination," Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan said here at a FICCI seminar.
India has 220 golf courses of which 30 are of professional level and 15 signature golf courses which have been designed by renowned international golf course designers.

Japan and Hong Kong have a shortage of golf courses and golfers from these places can come to India and play golf at a comparatively low cost, added Dewan.
Golf tourism is growing at a yearly rate of 9.3 per cent and there are about 1.6 million golfers who travel every year to golfing destinations, he said.
"Hence, there is a huge opportunity and scope for promoting golf tourism in India," he said.

Tourism Joint Secretary Anand Kumar said India could easily cater to the European, east and south-east Asian and Japanese and Chinese golf tourism markets.
"However, we have not been able to promote India as a golf destination effectively in the past and other markets like Thailand and Malaysia have an edge over India as they started earlier than us," Kumar added.

In coordination with FICCI, Tourism Ministry will be holding a three-day 'Incredible India Golf Tourism Summit', 2014, here on October 8.
An 'Incredible India Golf Tournament' and 'Incredible India Golf Tourism Award' are some of highlights of the proposed event.