KOTA KINABALU, Sept 4 — At the Borneo Golf Resort, about 90 minutes drive from here, you can be forgiven for thinking you are in Korea.
After all, the welcome sign shows Artitaya Borneo Golf, a Korea-based golf tourism company, and some 95 per cent of its guests are Koreans which means its food, menus, signages, amenities and other instructions are geared towards Koreans.
The company saw the potential for golfing in Kota Kinabalu more than 15 years years ago and has been running the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course for many years.
The resort offers an all-in-one package for golfers, including airport transfers, golfing, accommodation and all meals.
“They just spend their entire trip here golfing and enjoying the resort, and then we send them to the airport. It’s a golf vacation,” said a resort staff member.
Kota Kinabalu has been a haven for Korean golf enthusiasts for a while now due to its proximity to South Korea and the flight accessibility. It is also a fraction of the price of golfing back home, where clubs also have long wait lists.
With over five million golfers in Korea, it was an easy decision to try and attract even a fraction of the number to Kota Kinabalu.
South Korea’s consulate-general in Kota Kinabalu Joo Jung-cheo was previously reported saying that Malaysia is the third favoured destination in South-east Asia for golfing, after Thailand and the Philippines.
Sabah’s golf courses, in particular, are an attractive choice for Korean golfers.
It is estimated that some 20 per cent out of the total South Korean visitors to Sabah engage in golf.
South Koreans are the second highest international arrivals to the state, after mainland Chinese.
In 2019 alone, almost 400,000 South Koreans visited Sabah.
Deputy Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said that aside from flight accessibility, the appeal of Sabah’s golf courses is their accessibility within the city.
Golf courses are either just around the city centre, or a relatively short drive away like Artitaya.
Courses like Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club, Sabah Golf and Country Club, Kinabalu Golf Club, Karambunai Golf and Country Club, and Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club are all located within a 30-minute drive from Kota Kinabalu’s city centre.
In Sutera Harbour Resort, some 60 per cent of its occupancy consists of South Koreans and many of them choose the resort for its proximity to its 27-hole golf course.
“Families with young children will go to the islands and take one-day tours, but there are those who travel on their own who will opt for golf, as it is so much cheaper than back home,” said a resort staff.
The package specifically aimed at Koreans includes their stay, an island trip, meals and a golf card.
The Sutera Harbour golf club also says that some 25 per cent of their memberships are taken up by South Koreans — either those who live in Sabah or those who come regularly.
The state has also engaged with the Korean Ladies Professional Golfer Association (KLPGA) which has held numerous tournaments here. These are even broadcasted in South Korea.
According to Joo, the high season in Korea is between December and February during their winter season when some may take the opportunity to get to warmer weather.
Bangkuai said that the state will continue to promote golf tourism as a niche market, highlighting the affordable packages that appeal to Koreans without compromising on quality services.