(VOVworld) - Jordan Vogt-Roberts, director of the Hollywood blockbuster Kong: Skull Island is the first foreign director to be named Vietnam’s Honorary Tourism Ambassador for a 3-year term. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism hopes that through the director’s movies, Vietnam will emerge in the world as a new destination for film making thanks to its spectacular landscape and friendly people. 

American film and television director and screenwriter Jordan Vogt-Roberts in Vietnam (Photo: Duc Anh/VOV5)

American film and television director and screenwriter Jordan Vogt-Roberts was born in 1984 and began making films in 2013. Kong: Skull Island, which was filmed in Vietnam, is his third movie. At a ceremony in Hanoi on Monday, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien appointed the American Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam because most of his film was shot in Vietnam and will have a global influence. With his talent and love for Vietnam, he can make films or initiate cinema projects to promote Vietnam tourism. Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien said: “Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts accepted with pleasure our proposal, which was fully agreed by the Vietnam selection committee. We applaud the role of Jordan Vogt-Roberts. For 3 years, we will work together to develop Vietnam tourism. This will be a starting point for the outreach of Vietnam tourism and cinematography.”

The American director said he was humbled and honored by the 3-year appointment, saying he will do his utmost to fulfill the duties of the position and help promote tourism in Vietnam. First, he will bring Hollywood directors, actors, and actresses to Vietnam for future film planning. He said he will also shoot more films in Vietnam: “I really think that in a matter of years the film industry here will be seen on a global scale. There’s such immense talent in this country. All people here have such life and energy to them that the entertainment industry and so many different industries within Vietnam I think will be seen in much much larger scale soon. There’s such beautiful and wonderful people here doing incredible things. For the government to welcome us like this, it truly means the world. So anyway, I can help further expose Vietnam to the world, let people know how beautiful this country is. It would be an honor for me.”