As a sign of just how important the golfing sector is becoming to Vietnam's economy, the country is to stage the first Golf Course Owner's Summit in Hue according to the Asia Pacific Golf Association.

But Vietnam isn't just aiming to become the most successful in Asia, the summit on the 30th and 31st of this month aims to tie down more investment and the development of more courses.

The Asian Golf Industry Federation, which includes Vietnam’s National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), expects 2025 will have brought 17-18 million international visitors to the country as well as 110 million domestic travellers.

With more than 3,000 kilometres of coastline and a diverse landscape, Vietnam offers a number of golf courses that have caught the attention of golfers and investors.

“It’s been an incredible journey for Vietnam. To have reached where it has in such a short space of time is phenomenal,” says Spencer Robinson, Chief Communications Officer of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation.

“I go around the world and people all talk about the development of golf in Vietnam. I think it’s fair to say it’s the hottest golfing market now in the world, anywhere.”

Vietnam’s golf industry has become a driving force in both tourism and economic development.

Vietnam currently has about 100 operational 18-hole golf courses, a number expected to grow to 200 by 2030, according to the Vietnam Golf Association.

Once a niche sport in the country, golf is now front and centre of Vietnam’s national strategy to boost local economies.

The government has made golf a priority under its 2030 tourism development strategy, aiming to attract high-spending tourists and international events.

According to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, golf tourism brought in approximately US$600 million in revenue in 2022, and is projected to reach US$1 billion by 2025, making up to 10% of national tourism earnings.

In Danang city, one of the Vietnam’s popular destinations for golf in the central region, its golf courses spread from the mountains to the coast.

Hoiana Shores Golf Club, one of the five 18-hole courses in the city, has been welcoming hundreds of guests every day since its opening in 2019.

AP video by Hau Dinh