In line with the goals of its Visit Johor 2026 campaign, the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia continues to boost its tourism appeal with various events and activities.
Sports tourism is one important sector of the industry that Johor is tapping into.
Desaru Coast, one of the state's premiere coastal destinations, has been the venue to major sporting events for some years now. Among these are the amateur cycling event L'Etape Malaysia by Tour de France and multi-sport festival Ironman 70.3.
Come October, it will welcome the sophomore return of yet another sports event, which aligns with Johor's growing reputation for golf tourism.
Set to be held Oct 23-31 at Desaru Coast is the World Amateur Golfers Championship (WAGC) World Final 2026.
Approximately 650 amateur golfers and delegates from over 50 countries are expected to converge at the championship, which follows the recent reopening of the Ridge Course at The Els Club Desaru Coast.
"The WAGC World Final provides an important platform to showcase Johor's tourism assets while creating tangible economic benefits for local businesses and communities," Izrin Hashim, CEO of Desaru Development Holdings One, said in a press statement.
He also said that it is a privilege to be hosting an event of this calibre in Johor, while demonstrating what global visitors can experience in the state.
During the event, participants and visitors will get to enjoy more than 20 restaurants and dining venues across Desaru Coast’s integrated resort portfolio.
They can also explore the Festival Village, which features local markets, cultural performances, creative workshops and other curated lifestyle activities.
A strong season
Another South-East Asian destination that has been garnering attention in the golf tourism sphere is Da Nang in Vietnam.
The city will be holding two golf events in the coming months, namely Montgomerie Links Golf Club's 16th Club Championships in August and the IMG Trophy Tournament 2026 in September.
The former, which is taking place on Aug 22, will additionally raise funds to support the educational journey of Da Nang’s underprivileged students.
As for the latter, its date is yet to be announced but it is confirmed to be held at Ba Na Hills Golf Club.
Andrew McGregor, general manager of Ba Na Hills Golf Club, said in a press statement that the tournament "... showcases the quality of golf and hospitality that golfers can expect when they visit Central Vietnam".
He also mentioned how Night Golf has become one of the golf club's "defining experiences".
Night Golf is essentially a session – held on Wednesdays and Fridays – that gives golfers the chance to play on the Luke Donald-designed championship course under floodlights.
Montgomerie Links has a similar session called Twilight Golf, which allows golfers to tee off during sunset on its Colin Montgomerie-designed layout.
Da Nang also boasts golf courses designed by the likes of Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Another big draw is the city's amalgamation of championship golf with beaches, luxury resorts, Unesco World Heritage Sites and an acclaimed culinary scene, giving golfers visiting the city plenty to look forward to beyond the sport.
Factoring these in, it is unsurprising that Da Nang is seeing a tourism growth.
During the first five months of 2026, a record 7.74 million overnight visitors thronged the city – charting a 20.9% increase year-on-year. There was a 23.6% increase in international arrivals (4.18 million), and 17.9% in domestic visitor’s number (3.55 million).
In the months ahead, Da Nang is set to welcome even more overseas visitors, either for golf or leisure purpose – or both. Building further on this momentum is the recent rollout of Vietnam’s digital arrival card in the city, which will make travelling to Central Vietnam more seamless for international visitors.
