Vietnam has 116 golf course projects, 42 of which have gone into operation, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
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In August, more golf course projects continued to be sent for approval to be added to the planning by 2020. On August 15, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung set up inspection teams for several projects including Lac Thuy Project in Hoa Binh and Muong Thanh Project in Nghe An Province. The expansion of the golf course in Luong Son, Hoa Binh Province and BRG Ruby Tree in Hai Phong City were also approved.
The results of the review and adjustment of the current golf course planning will be used as inputs for research and development of land use planning during 2021-2025 period. The representative of the Ministry of Planning and Investment said that Phu Tho and Central Highlands provinces are key tourism locations and more golf courses will help attract more visitors and provide more jobs to the locals.
Pham Sy Liem, former deputy head of the Ministry of Construction, said that local authorities proposed to add more golf projects to plans based on actual demand. Whether they are approved or not must depend on the prime minister and consultants.
“We should not only count the number of the projects. If there are a demand and a suitable market then it’s fine to develop more golf courses,” he said.
However, Liem said the 2009 planning didn’t follow market demand. Even a developing project should be scrapped if there isn’t demand. The Ministry of Planning and Investment also said that they had removed 13 projects since 2009, most of them were stagnant or ineffective.
Liem went on to say that they should develop golf courses on non-agricultural land. Because it takes up to hundreds of hectares of land to develop a golf course that meets international standards, inspections must be carried out carefully to avoid cultivated land and forest destruction.
“In Japan, they built golf courses on hillsides,” Liem said.
Last year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also emphasised that while it was important to develop tourism, authorities must tighten monitoring over golf projects to protect forested land.
vietnamnet, dtinews
The article "Ministry backs for more golf course projects" was originally published on http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/209745/ministry-backs-for-more-golf-course-projects.html
