Golf In A Kingdom Adds New Resort Members

Bangkok, January 18 -- Thailand's prestigious Golf In A Kingdom destination-marketing program has two new resort members: Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort on the holiday island of Phuket and Veranda Resort & Spa, which operates twin properties at Cha-am near Hua Hin and at Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

They join an elite group of golf courses and resorts throughout Thailand, the world's third most popular international golf tourism destination after Spain and the United States.

Established in 2009, Golf In A Kingdom has become the most successful marketing program of its kind in Asia, with an estimated one-third of all golf visitors to Thailand playing at its member courses.

In welcoming the new resort members, Golf In A Kingdom president, Mark Siegel, said the additions were further testimony to Thailand's pre-eminent position as a golf tourism destination in Asia and the key role Golf In A Kingdom played in highlighting its best golf destinations.

"Despite economic uncertainty in Europe and North America, golf tourism in Thailand is continuing to grow and is likely to reach a record 600,000 arrivals in 2012," he said. "Inbound golf tourists will spend an estimated $US2 billion in Thailand this year and Golf In A Kingdom is helping to maintain the sector's growth."

Situated on a secluded cove on Phuket's south-western coast, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort boasts its own pristine secluded beach and is just minutes from the island's main tourist centre of Patong. Offering a full array of land and sea sport facilities, top-level international restaurants, pampering spa programs and a children's discovery centre, the popular resort has 470 rooms and suites.

This year it is celebrating its 25th anniversary, during which time it has become a "home away from home" for many local and foreign guests.

Last September, the second phase of a room enhancement program was completed, which transformed 154 Superior Garden and Pool View rooms into new Deluxe rooms featuring modern and refined décor. Four new Oceanfront Deluxe Suites and six new oceanfront Grande Suites were also opened.

In 2010 and 2011, the five-star resort was named by readers of Australia's Holiday With Kids magazine among the top 10 family holiday resorts in Asia and last year was included in Expedia's Inside Select list, an annual award that recognises the best hotels as judged by the booking group's customers.

Visit www.lemeridien.com

Veranda Resort & Spa at Cha-am is located on the finest beachfront between Cha-am and Hua Hin, 180 kilometres south of Bangkok. The region has been a favourite royal and aristocratic retreat since the 1920s when King Rama VII built a beachside palace in the area. Today, it is a popular seaside destination for local and foreign visitors who are attracted by the superb location and numerous local attractions, including golf at Golf In A Kingdom member courses Banyan Golf Resort and Black Mountain Golf Club.

The 118-room resort has eight different room categories and is set in five acres of Feng Shui gardens with water features, mature evergreen trees and tropical palms.

Veranda's Chiang Mai property in northern Thailand is a magnificent boutique property with 69 rooms offering stunning views over the mountainous landscape.

Both Veranda properties are members of the MGallery collection of boutique hotels and resorts in, currently, 44 worldwide locations.

Visit www.verandaresortandspa.com

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For more information, contact:
Paul Myers, Asian Travel Media, Bangkok
Email: paul(at)asiantravelmedia(dot)com
Tel: +66 (0) 84 125 1894 (Thailand) or +61 407 738 453 (Australia)