Ministry pitches national athletes as ‘tourism and sport ambassadors’

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has proposed appointing national athletes as ambassadors to help promote tourism and sport events in second-tier provinces – a term used for cities that are not famous tourist destinations.

Minister Sermsak Pongpanich said on Friday that the idea focused on inviting athletes who compete in world-class events, such as the Olympics and Paralympic Games, to promote tourism and sport in their hometowns as well as nearby provinces to domestic and international audiences.

“The campaign aims to present the history and attractions of each province to a wider audience via the telling of the stories and experiences of the athletes,” he said. “Besides promoting sport-based tourism, the move will also inspire a new generation of athletes as well as the public to engage in sports and physical activities.”

He added that the campaign would be carried out by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which would organise promotional activities of sport events as well as advertising campaigns via various media.

“We hope that the campaign would help promote domestic tourism as well as create a positive image of Thailand among international audiences, further attracting potential visitors to second-tier provinces and ensuring a comprehensive distribution of tourism revenue,” said Sermsak.

The ministry added that the launch of tourism and sport ambassadors was expected to start soon.

The proposed campaign comes on the heels of the tremendous success of Thai athletes in the ongoing Summer Olympics in Paris. The Thai national contingent has so far brought home six medals: a gold from taekwondo, three silver from badminton and weightlifting, and two bronze from boxing and weightlifting.