Golf Leaders in Thailand Join Forces with Asia Pacific Golf Group to Agree on Golf in a Kingdom’s Future Media Plan

Hua Hin (June 18, 2012) – Banyan, The Resort, located in the royal town of Hua Hin made the perfect setting for Thailand golf industry leaders to join together and enjoy their exquisite hospitality. The 5-course welcome dinner prepared by the culinary experts at the Lemongrass restaurant set a scene of what was a weekend of hard talk, ideas and plans to grow Golf in a Kingdom in the future. Mark Siegel, MD of GolfAsian commented “Banyan is a great example of how a development can combine its golf club, resort and residential villas into a complete lifestyle destination, it’s the arrival experience, caddies, course conditions and friendly Thai team members that make you feel so special and welcome in Thailand and Banyan does this very well”. Golf in a Kingdom is a destination marketing initiative started in 2009 to promote and raise the awareness of “the Thai Golf Experience”. The founding golf club members are Pineapple Valley Golf Club, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai Highlands Golf Club, Chiang Mai, Muang Kaew Golf Club, Bangkok, Siam Country Club, Pattaya and Thai Country Club, in Bangkok. Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin became a member in 2010. In addition to obtaining overseas golf, lifestyle, and travel media exposure that highlights why Thailand is the number one golfing holiday destination in Asia, club members will be eligible for special benefits offered all of the Golf In A Kingdom golf course and resorts. The program has its own designated website www.golfinakingdom.com and has received over 30,000 hits to date, hosted 9 familiarization trips and has received accolades in over 450 articles and feature stories across the world from the USA to Australia. Also in attendance at the meeting was Mike Sebastian, CEO of Asia Pacific Golf Group, who agreed to support the initiative using their global media platform. This will further develop Thailand’s golf exposure and further differentiate the premium golfing experience from all other destinations. Asia Pacific Golf Group represents leading publications including Asian Golf Monthly, Asian Golf Business, Asian Golf Tourism, Golf Course Industry International, Asian Golf Daily, Asian Golf TV and Asia Pacific Golf Conferences. Sebastian commented “I am extremely fond of Thailand, its people, culture and hospitality and we are willing to support the Golf in a Kingdom program in every way we can. Golf Tourism will take center stage at 2012 Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Brunei of which Pineapple Valley Golf Club’s General Manager, Stacey Walton together with Golfasian’s Managing Director Mark Siegel will both be key players on the panel sharing best practices in destination marketing”. For more information on ‘Golf in a Kingdom: The Thai Golf Experience‘, or to make golf travel plans in Thailand, visit www.golfinakingdom.com, or send email to info@golfinakingdom.com. —————————————————————————————————— For more information, contact: Pascal Orczech, Golfasian / Golf in a Kingdom, Bangkok Email: media@golfasian.com Tel: +66 (0) 2 714 8470