DUBAI - GOLF CITIZEN, a worldwide golf reservation website, has created quite a buzz at the Thailand Golf Expo in Bangkok with visitors from different countries signing up as its members.

Developed and programmed from the ground up by golf in DUBAi, the innovative website (golfcitizen.com) offers any golf club in the world an instant online presence, facilitating golfers to book multiple rounds at multiple golf clubs internationally.

Since the launch of the website last year, some of the most beautiful and challenging courses in the UAE, Thailand and Vietnam have joined its fast-expanding network.

As part of the promotion, GOLF CITIZEN is offering discounted rates on green fees for all those registering as its members at the expo. An individual stableford tournament is also being organized for the new members with attractive prizes at stake.

The winner of the tournament, which will be played on August 4 at Thailand's premier Banyan Golf Club at Hua Hin, will win an all-expenses-paid two-day stay Banyan Hotel with two complimentary golf rounds over the weekend.

The runner-up will be awarded a Banyan Pro Shop voucher worth 5,000 Thai Baht (about Dh600) while the third place finisher will get a 3,500 Baht voucher.

The tournament, which will be an annual affair, is part of golf in DUBAi's ambitious drive to increase golf's popularity and accessibility to golfers all around the world through GOLF CITIZEN.

"The Thailand Golf Expo, which attracted major players from the industry, has presented us with a great opportunity to promote golf courses, especially those in the UAE, through GOLF CITIZEN," said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi.

"Golf tourism to Thailand, according to reports, will attract an estimated record 600,000 inbound visitors and be worth $2 billion this year and we want to be part of their amazing growth," he added.

"The UAE, which boasts some of the finest courses in the world, is home to major international tournaments like the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters that promote golf and tourism in a big way.

"With the launch of the 'Golf in Abu Dhabi' initiative, the emirate's golf tourism drive has received a massive boost. In Yas Links and Abu Dhabi Golf Club, they have two courses that have been listed in Golf World magazine's top 100 golf courses while the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club further added to the growing golfing profile of the capital city when it was recognized as the "Best Golf Course" in the Middle East and Africa at the 2010 CNBC Property Awards.

"Our ultimate aim is to have every single golf course in the UAE, Thailand and across the region join the GOLF CITIZEN booking engine whose biggest advantage is that you can book multiple tee times in one go."