Sunday, October 6, 2024 Japan’s golf resorts are upgrading with new villas and enhanced country clubs, aiming to attract more international tourists and boost the country’s golf tourism sector. Golf courses in Japan are enhancing their offerings to attract high-spending foreign tourists. Resol Holdings, affiliated with Japan’s leading real estate group Mitsui Fudosan, plans to invest around 6 billion yen ($40.
9 million) to build approximately 160 villas near golf courses by 2030, in addition to the 29 villas already available and 11 under construction. Accommodation prices vary by season and package. At Resol’s Setouchi Golf Resort in Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture, a one-night stay starts at 43,980 yen (about $300) per person for check-ins on Friday with golf on Saturday, including three meals.
Setouchi Golf Resort experienced a significant fivefold increase in international visitors during the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Many foreign guests staying in the villas enjoy multiple rounds of golf. Japan boasts over 2,000 golf courses, ranking second globally after the U.
S., according to a 2021 survey by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
However, domestic participation has declined, with just 5.1 million players in 2022, down from 13 to 15 million in the 1990s, according to a white paper by the Japan Productivity Center. There’s hope that foreign visitors can revitalize the industry.
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