Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) hosted a tour for golf journalist representing international publications for a unique golfing experience.
“Each of the four golf courses are as varied as they can be with some offering the best vistas, while others offer an exciting challenge,” said Sutheash Balasubramaniam, Managing Director of the Bureau.
According to the Global Golf Tourism Organization(IAGTO) there over 100,000 golfers in India and over 14 million in Asia. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau objective of Plan for 2017-2020. Promoting golfing tourism aligns with the strategy to offer positioning the country as a high-value destination is in keeping with its Tourism Strategic extraordinary experiences that reflect Sri Lanka’s natural and cultural heritage.
It is envisaged that tourism would become Sri Lanka’s #3 foreign exchange earner with a target of USD 7 billion in 2020. Comprehensive feasibility and environmental assessments for integrated golf courses. potential for two distinct golf circuits—mountain and coastal are being conducted and would be completed by 2019.
The design, construction and operation of integrated golf course resorts are also listed as potential investment projects. The journalists were flown in from Germany and Switzerland to visit golf courses in Colombo, Hambantota, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in a bid to create awareness of Sri Lanka’s golfing capacity. The Bureau is exploring the possibilities of promotion golf tourism inculcating leisure since golfers are known to be discerning travelers who take both seriously.
Travelers who were in Sri Lanka were impressed by the varying topography of golf courses in Sri Lanka.
The journalists who head global renowned publications that specialize in golf played golf in Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota, and Kandy, and visited the Royal Colombo golf club. accommodation was provided by Jetwing, Shangri La and Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
“Golfers like to go to beaches and beach resorts with golf facilities, which we found here. Sri Lanka also has many cultural venues and spa attractions which is a unique selling point,” said Bernd Stegmaier, Editor-in-chief of Golfen, which has a readership of 1.5 million yearly. He also added the combination of golf and Ayurveda was a good reason for golfers to visit Sri Lanka. The other two journalists were Hans Jorg representing Zundorf which has a readership of 150,000 monthly and Elsa Maria Honecker who represents Connoisseur circle and the Golf Yearbook which are sought after globally.
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