Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Golfer Greg Norman has been named a Viet Nam Tourism Ambassador, aiming to promote Viet Nam as a destination for golfers.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien granted the certification for Norman for the term 2018-2021, yesterday in Ha Noi.
Australian Norman was one of the top golfers in the world in the 1980s and 1990s, winning two Open Championships. Since retiring, he has developed more than 100 golf courses around the world and launched various other business ventures.
His company is in charge of designing five golf course projects in Viet Nam, including The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, KN Golf Links in Nha Trang City and Golf Club in Da Nang.
While working in Viet Nam, he fell in love with the country and wanted to promote Viet Nam as an attractive destination for golfers.
“During 40 years playing golf and travelling around the world, I haven’t seen any country with impressive growth of golf like Viet Nam,” he said about the country.
“Through golf, I will promote Viet Nam tourism to the world as well as bringing international golf events to Viet Nam.”
Thien lauded Norman’s willingness to contribute to the Vietnamese tourism sector.
Thien said Viet Nam had received 16 million international tourists since the beginning of 2018, with 1.5 million of them coming to Viet Nam to play golf.
Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam, Craig Chittick congratulated Viet Nam for selecting a great Australian as a Tourism Ambassador.
"Norman has a global brand with a reputation based on achievement and generosity and would attract even more tourists to Viet Nam," he said.
Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also appointed Ly Xuong Can (Lee Chang-kun) as a Tourism Ambassador of Viet Nam.
Lee is the 31st generation offspring of King Ly Thai To (974-1028). He was born in the Republic of Korea in 1958 and was naturalised in Viet Nam in 2010.
Lee recommended himself for the position in a letter sent to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts was appointed Viet Nam’s Tourism Ambassador for the 2017-2020 tenure. He was the first film director to take on the position, aiming to bring Viet Nam’s people and culture to international friends and closer to Hollywood film producers and directors. — VNS