Text & Photos by Mike Besa
The Philippine Golf Tourism Council’s (PGTC) mandate is to facilitate and develop golf tourism under the auspices of the Department of Tourism. This is a complex task that does not compete with inbound tour operators. The work of the Council revolves around eliminating the factors that hinder the industry’s progress and to let the world know that the Philippines is a viable destination for those that travel the world with their golf clubs to chase the little white ball on the fairways of the world.
The PGTC has gotten the ball rolling by bringing the industry’s stakeholders together and started conversations between them. Both golf courses and inbound tour operators have their respective concerns about the growth of the industry. These concerns will be addressed in time and the path to developing golf tourism will be made smooth.
The next step will be to convince the rest of the world to make the country their next golfing destination. Part of that is identifying viable destinations for those that respond to our message. Such destinations must have easy access to and from airports and must have as many golf courses as possible for the visitors to enjoy.
Since the industry needs to get started quickly, the PGTC started by identifying likely locations to market to the rest of the world in the short term. Central Luzon is perhaps the best equipped to get off to a flying start. There is an international airport in the Clark Economic Zone, there are many hotels both within the zone and in the surrounding area and there are seven golf clubs (several with more than one 18-hole golf course) in Pampanga with one in Tarlac and another in Bataan that are world-class in quality.
The Calabarzon region is a close second to Central Luzon. It is a reasonable distance from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and is the hotbed of golf in the country. Many of the finest golf courses in the country are here. There are many fine hotels that have sprung up in the Alabang area but Tagaytay is perhaps the most attractive center for tourism development in the region.
Tagaytay is well established as a tourist destination for locals. Inhabitants of Metro Manila flock to the ridge to enjoy the cool weather and the breathtaking vistas of Taal Volcano. There are many dining options, as well as unique hotels, that are huge draws for international visitors. Tagaytay is strategically located as all the Cavite and Laguna golf courses are easily within an hour from the ridge. The city itself is home to some of the most unique layouts in the region; Tagaytay Highlands and Midlands and Splendido Taal Golf Club are all stunning layouts that offer unique golf experiences and will enthrall those that come to play.
But Tagaytay has work to do to make ready for the influx of foreign golfers. For one thing, the traffic on the weekends needs to be addressed. The bulk of the establishments in Tagaytay inhabit a 20-kilometer stretch from Sungay North to the sprawling Twin Lakes development on the provincial border between Cavite and Batangas on the Tagaytay Ridge. The lack of alternate routes and the number of vehicles that ply the area present a stumbling block to Tagaytay’s viability as the center of golf tourism for the region.
The cost of hotel rooms along the ridge is another potential problem. For the price of a room at some of the very best hotels on the ridge, one can purchase a multiple day golf vacation in Thailand. Given Thailand’s proximity to the Philippines and its desirability and acceptance as a destination for golfers visiting the region, our country loses an important competitive advantage.
Unconvinced? Browse the golf packages in Hua Hin and you’ll see that five rounds of golf in one of the most attractive destinations in Thailand comes to just P14,000. Factor in hotel rooms in the area and we’re looking at a five-day four-night golf trip that costs roughly $600 (without airfare). When you consider the fact that three of the golf courses in Hua Hin (Black Mountain, Banyan Tree and Springfield) are acknowledged as some of the best in the region, it is plain to see that Tagaytay City (and the rest of the Philippines) has its work cut out for us.
I believe the fundamental issue is that the city of Tagaytay itself doesn’t even recognize golf tourism as a potential area of growth. As a frame of reference golf tourists to the Kingdom of Thailand add almost $2 billion to Thai coffers every year. True, margins might suffer but the bottom line is sure to swell if the city (and the rest of the country) move in the right direction.
The bottom line is that if Tagaytay (and the rest of the Philippines) wants a share of the $250-billion world tourism market, we’re going to have to fight tooth and nail to get it. Other countries have been hard at work mining their share for years and we’re just getting started. We need to shore up infrastructure, become price competitive, stage events that will attract world golf tourists and otherwise search for competitive advantages.
Coming from behind does seem like a daunting task but the good news is that our golf courses, particularly those in the Calabarzon region, compare most favorably with the best in the region. There is no language barrier here as most Filipinos speak English quite fluently and the views from the Tagaytay ridge are simply stunning. Add the attractive valuation of our currency compared to that of our neighbors and Tagaytay’s (and the rest of the country’s) viability as an international golf destination starts to look pretty damn good.
There’s work to be done, but this isn’t the time to wring our hands and throw in the towel. It just means that if we want to take our rightful place as one of the great golf destinations in Asia, we must get our butts in gear and get to work. We have golf courses that compare very favorably to any in the region. Our restaurants and hotels are world-class. All the elements for success are right there in front of us. Let’s not let this opportunity pass us by; let’s do everything we can to make it a reality.
Image credits: Mike Besa