One thing that might draw Korean golfers to Sabah is the state's golf courses' accessibility.
Joo Jung-cheol, the general consul of South Korea in Kota Kinabalu, estimated that there were roughly 5 million golfers in the country.
Bringing even ten percent of them to Sabah is a substantial opportunity.
He made this statement following a meeting with Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, the assistant minister of tourism, culture, and environment. "Our golfers in Korea highly value South East Asia, including destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines," the statement read.
Joo, who had played golf in Kota Kinabalu, claimed that the state capital was the greatest since golf courses were easily accessible, located just a 30-minute drive from the city center.
"It is a good selling point," he remarked, mentioning the golf courses in Sutera Habour, Sabah, the neighboring Karambunai, and Dalit Bay.
"We anticipate many Koreans will come to Sabah during the high season between December and February for their winter vacation and to golf."
He stated that 480,000 Koreans traveled to Sabah in 2019, more than 20% of them engaged in golf-related activities.
He also mentioned Sabah's increasing appeal to Korean businessmen as a place to invest, with Korean businesses funding the state's golf industry.
In the meantime, Joniston stated that Sabah is dedicated to advancing golf tourism as a specialized industry, emphasizing the reasonably priced packages that appeal to Koreans without sacrificing high-quality services.
"China is starting to catch up, but for now, Koreans dominate Sabah's tourism industry.
"We are doing everything possible to continue attracting Korean tourists, as well as others, with our many attractions that cater to their specific needs," he stated.