Remarkable Transformation of Once Mysterious Nation Offers Rich Experiences On and Off the Course
WILMINGTON, NC (March 21, 2007) – China’s economic renaissance is largely tied to explosive gains in the manufacturing and exporting sectors. But the nation whose GDP growth has tripled that of the U.S. for the past decade is also building some of the world’s most elaborate and spectacular golf courses and resorts at a pace that rivals any country in the world. In recognition of China’s growing stature as a world-class golf destination, its remarkable history and influence on 21st century life, PerryGolf has added China to its worldwide portfolio of travel locales.
To celebrate the addition of China to its international golf destinations, PerryGolf is offering complimentary (two nights) lodging in St. Andrews and a guaranteed tee time at the Old Course to groups who visit at least three of the 12 countries where the company provides travel coordination. The promotion requires a minimum of 16 hotel nights, with a minimum of four golfers; play on the Old Course is subject to availability at time of booking.
"Who hasn’t been intrigued by everything now happening in China?" asks Gordon Dalgleish, president of PerryGolf, which has been designing and coordinating international golf travel for its U.S. clients for more than 20 years. "It’s a fascinating country with an ever-expanding reputation for fine golf."
With a history dating to 2200 BC, China has emerged from a mysterious past in recent decades to reveal a rich culture of distinctive art and architecture along with sophisticated metropolitan areas with a style and energy all their own. It’s precisely the kind of place many of today’s travelers seek in an international golf trip, according to Dalgleish.
"It’s not enough for most people today – even avid golfers – simply to play seven rounds of golf in a week’s time and see little more than a golf course, maybe a pub and a hotel room," Dalgleish said. "More and more, golfers want to experience what a region or a country has to offer beyond golf. China certainly affords a wealth of experiences for that type of traveler."
For a country that had no golf courses before 1984, China is quickly making up for lost time. Some 300 courses have opened in China in the last 20 years, and most of those have come on line only in the last decade, as leading designers such as Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones were lured to this vast country. It’s estimated that twice that number of courses are under construction, which would move China up from the fifth spot it currently holds among nations with the greatest number of courses.
A nation of nearly 3.6 million square miles and more than 1.2 billion people, China’s most attractive golf offerings are spread among Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan Island, the Yunnan Province, where the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club’s 8,548-yard course (at an altitude of 10,000 feet) is the world’s longest; and Hong Kong, where 12 big-name designers have come together to create the 216-hole Mission Hills Golf Club, billed as the world’s largest golf club.
"China is a destination unlike any other in the world," Dalgleish says. "Its appeal extends far beyond its golf courses, and we believe our clients will find its cultural diversions, energetic pace and its golf a captivating experience."
PerryGolf begins offering custom tours to China on April 1 and suggests spring and fall as the best months to visit, although the diversity of regional climates makes year-round travel an option.
The addition of China gives clients of PerryGolf 12 golf and culturally rich countries from which to choose. In addition to Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, PerryGolf also offers tours to New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.
Established in 1984, Wilmington, N.C. -based PerryGolf offers the industry’s most prestigious and diverse selection of deluxe golf travel experiences to the British Isles and a number of other international golf destinations. For more information on PerryGolf, please visit www.perrygolf.com, which features the Plan Your Own Tourâ?¢ calculator and links to the Web sites of the golf courses and hotels that are part of the company’s tours, or call 800-344-5257.
Contact:
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
678-366-3232
Bill Bryant
Bryant Marketing Communications
2910 Gleneagles Pointe
Alpharetta, Georgia 30005
678-366-3232
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
www.bryantmarcomm.com
