Sports firm GSV partners Grab to promote Muay Thai among foreign tourists

The collaboration will assist Global Sports Ventures (GSV), the operator of Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium, in attracting more international Muay Thai fans, who currently account for 70% of the stadium's total visitors, a joint press release said on Thursday.

GSV and Grab will jointly promote Muay Thai fights through online and offline media, marketing activities, as well as discounts on tickets. Grab mobility services will be offered to foreign tourists in the second half of this year, with an investment of more than 100 million baht.

GSV chief executive officer Thainchai Phisitwuttinan said that Muay Thai, or Thai kick-boxing, is an important cultural heritage that has the potential to attract foreign tourists.

He pointed out that Thai kick-boxing is an essential form of soft power in Thailand, making the country a must-see destination for Thai boxing fans worldwide.

According to GSV, the number of foreign visitors has increased 16 times since the stadium was recently rebranded and renovated, and more events added to its weekly Muay Thai schedule.

"We offer a wide variety of Muay Thai fights daily, throughout the week. This includes the launch of the Rajadamnern World Series, a new Muay Thai tournament with international standards, with its own rules to ensure that fights are more entertaining and thrilling," he said.

Meanwhile, the tournaments will be live streamed to fans in over 200 countries around the world, with the goal of reaching new audiences while raising Thai boxing standards to an international level, he said.

China, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany are the top five major international markets.

Thainchai believes that collaborating with Grab to promote Muay Thai will undoubtedly increase its popularity because Grab will make Muay Thai more accessible to tourists.

Worachat Luxkanalode, Grab Thailand's country head, said winning the foreign tourist segment is one of the company's key growth strategies this year.
He pointed out that Grab’s mobility services are widely used by international travellers. As a result, the company is launching a number of initiatives to promote Thai tourism while also improving its service to improve users' travel experiences.

“The collaboration between Grab and Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium reflects our genuine intention to take part in promoting Thai tourism and stimulating the country’s economy using the uniqueness and fascination of Muay Thai as soft power to win the hearts of tourists," he said.

According to the partnership, foreign users who use GrabCar Premium or GrabSUV services to travel to Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium will receive a 30% discount.

Users can redeem the discount by simply entering the 'RAJADAMNERN' code from now until December 31, 2023, he said.