Padraig Harrington's calls for the European PGA Tour to turn itself into a world tour have prompted a lukewarm reaction from Asian and Australasian officials.

Harrington, world No. 12, told reporters before this week's Irish Open that the European Tour should merge with the Asian, Australasian, South African and Japanese equivalents to form a global organisation to rival the U.S. PGA Tour.

The European tour has already formed close links with other parts of the world by staging co-sanctioned events, but Asian and Australasian officials were undecided about whether a global tour was the best way forward.

"We are focusing on initiatives to strengthen the Asian Tour where the goal is to create greater playing opportunities for our members," Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han said.

"We have enjoyed steady growth over the last few years, with a record 29 events offering over an unprecedented US$28 million in total prize money this season, and our forecast is that the Asian Tour will continue to grow in line with the strengthening of the economy in Asia.

"We will continue to work with the other Tours in our aim to expand our members' playing benefits.

"We presently have nine co-sanctioned events with Europe which we believe is adequate and beneficial to our members."

PGA Tour of Australasia chief executive Ben Sellenger said Harrington's proposal had some merit but could not work without the full backing of all the tours.

"An increasingly complicated international scheduling environment, huge competition for sponsors, players and air time definitely necessitates closer cooperation between all the Tours," Sellenger said.

"Whether this takes the form of a World Tour or something short of that requires further discussion, but there is no doubt in principle the concept of consolidation has merit."