DG’ s Zenta meets with local kids in Myanmar
most successful golfer, PGA tour winner, Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, and recent Chairman of the Asian Tour, Kyi Hla Han, then known on the professional circuit as the“ Burmese Bandit” has returned to his birth country with the mandate to raise golf to a level of international pride and make Myanmar an enticing destination for golf travel that accentuates the seemingly enchanted destinations dotted around the country. He is the signature co-designer with international designer Schmidt / Curley at Myotha National and his own design firm, Kyi Hla Han Golf Design is already well underway planning for several first class upgrades and a couple of new courses at major tourism locations. There is even talk of an international, multi-country golf trail and a domestic golf trail, accessible by luxury boat, which will take golfers through wild regions with opportunities to sample the most spiritual and authentic aspects of Burmese culture and golf along the way. Han pointes to cooler highland areas in ethnic Shan State and to the western Beaches
near Ngapoli as areas ripe for the kinds of experiential, adventure vacations many of todays’ golf tourists are looking for.
So why golf in Burma now? Exotic, Authentic, Isolated, Exciting. Like no other.
Destination Golf Advisor and operator of Golf Asian, SE Asia’ s largest golf tour operator Mark Seigel says’“ If you want AUTHENTIC travel- Now is the time and Myanmar is the place.”
He goes on,“ 100 percent of Myanmar golf tourists also do cultural tours. Much of the golf is“ rustic” but golfer’ s feedback is overwhelmingly positive as long as we do a good job of letting them know what to expect. They have a very happy experience and consider it good value for the money. It is the perfect destination for travelers who like“ off the beaten path’”
Ms. Marlar Aye who is the Country Director Asia Expeditions DMC in Yangon says,“ Our Tourism Ministry is working very hard and closely with private sectors to develop
36 Destination Golf. TRAVEL