Mission Hills team, taking care of our education segment.
Since young, she has had a passion for nurturing the next
generation of leaders, taking after our father. He has left a
legacy by donating to many of our alma maters and other
education institutions to benefit education efforts. Under
Catherine’s charge, the Group partnered with Bromsgrove
School, a top British independent school with over 540
years of history. Bromsgrove School • Mission Hills offers
an innovative and holistic bilingual education.
11. It was incredible to hear from The R&A that the
prize funds for the AIG Women’s British Open have now
increased the prize funds by 40%. Do you think that the
golf industry has a long way to go to build participation
and equality? How do you think equality in the sport
should be approached?
Ken: The sport of golf has traditionally been a male-
dominated sport, and until today, golf remains mainly
a business language. With that said, ladies generally do
not participate in it. This gives rise to the term, “Golf
widow”, which I am a disbeliever of. Therefore, we think
that a key aspect to approach equality in the sport is to
open up access to all genders and ages. This was also
our motivation when we created tournaments such as
the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am. By tying in the
tournament with the energy of entertainment and various
sporting stars, we opened doors to non-golfers who want
to catch their favorite celebrities on the course.
Tenniel: I am proud to say that we have changed the game
of golf, evolving it from being a sport for the affluent to
one that caters to the mass market. By making Mission
Hills Haikou accessible to the public, we aim to promote
the game of golf by making it affordable. In addition,
by introducing many more attractions, facilities, and
amenities, we encourage families to visit a golf destination
collectively to have a good time.
12. Can you give us some insight into the plans that you
have for Haikou?
Ken: Our future focus will definitely be to continue
growing our integrated destination resorts, and there is
huge growth potential to be reaped. Hainan, for one, is
well positioned to interface with the international markets
given its status as an international tourism island for the
past decade. We can be certain of further boosts to the
number of international visitors, especially tourists from
the 59 countries who will now enjoy visa-free access to
Hainan.
By Jenna Heidstrom
Marketing Manager,
Golfscrape (UAE).
Email: [email protected]
44
Destination Golf .TRAVEL
Tenniel: On the sports front, we are also developing
Mission Hills Haikou as the sports training base for
Southern China, with football academy operated by FC
Barcelona and basketball academy operated by NBA,
complemented by interactive museum experiences. The
Barça Academy Pro in Haikou will be the first overseas
FCB football school directly managed by FCB and staffed
by FCB coaches. On the other hand, the NBA Basketball
School – Mission Hills Haikou will open to male and female
players, from junior level to professionals. NBA players
and legends will visit the school to provide additional
instruction and training to young players, fostering their
development.
13. What have been the standout moments in your
careers?
Tenniel: At Mission Hills, we are either the first to do
something, or we do it the biggest. Whether it’s bringing
the first international golf tournament to China – the
1995 World Cup of Golf, Tiger Woods’ first visit to China,
or creating the world’s largest golf resort, we definitely
showcase a new China to the whole world. That’s very
rewarding.
Ken: I would say that some of the key highlights in my
career would be developing Mission Hills Haikou from
ground up. We completed the 10 courses in a record-
breaking 18 months, and that
was when I was pretty much a freshman when it came
to project development. However, I am grateful for the
support from partners such as Brian Curley whom helped
designed these amazing courses.
14. Last but not least, where do you see Mission Hills in
the next 5 years?
Ken: We will continue to build on our existing foundation
based on the Group’s “Golf and more” leisure philosophy,
expanding on our business segments. We will continue to
branch out into a wider range of investments and offerings,
and focus on our role as a “super-connector”, bringing
into China brand offerings and experiences from around
the globe. By building on our strengths, opening up new
markets, and exploring novelty projects, we will offer our
guests more diverse, vibrant, and memorable experiences.