Director of the Kong: Skull Island movie, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, has just confirmed that he will continue his plans as a tourism ambassador in Vietnam despite the recent attack he suffered in a local bar.

Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts confirms that he will continue his plans as a tourism ambassador in Vietnam despite the recent attack he suffered in a local bar. Photo from the director's Facebook page.

In a Facebook post on September 28, Jordan expressed his special love for Vietnam which he called "my adopted country" and his great honour of being named an ambassador of tourism.

"An event like this is in no way indicative of Vietnam, and has not, will not, and cannot change my overwhelmingly positive opinion of the country. My personal goals as Tourism Ambassador remain the same and I will continue to bring opportunities to this country through film and otherwise. This incident will never change my opinion about why I fell in love with this country and the people who inhabit it. It will not stop me from exploring new ways to introduce endless amounts of fresh eyes to discover the beauty of Vietnam. It will not stop me from wanting to help build sustainable tourism that protects the culture of the country in the face of rapid growth. It will not stop me from wanting to make arts education more accessible to any individual who wants to chase their creative dreams. It will not stop me from thinking the minds and hearts of the people within this country represent a resiliency that I rarely see elsewhere," the director wrote.

He also expressed his thanks to the US Embassy and Consulate, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, local media for supporting and guiding him throughout this ordeal. 

According to Jordan, he chose to remain silent up until now because he was focused on healing and allowing the Vietnamese authorities to properly investigate without intervention.

"I was severely injured and am writing this note after returning to the USA after spending 10 days in a Vietnamese hospital," he wrote, adding that the men who instigated this attack are thugs who do not represent this consistently amazing country nor the souls of the people.

"Vietnam is a place in which I have always felt safe and I have full faith that the authorities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City bring this gang of thugs to justice sending a message that actions like these have consequences and people will be held accountable," he said.

Jordan Vogt-Roberts was attacked by a group of young men at XOXO in Le Thi Hong Gam Street in HCM City's District 1 on September 9 while returning to Vietnam to attend the International Tourism Expo. The gang also attacked nearly 10 other foreigners at the bar. Local police said that this was an attack instigated by the gang. 

Vogt-Roberts was appointed Vietnam’s Tourism Ambassador for the 2017-2020 tenure.

Since taking the post in March, the tourism ambassador has actively participated in various events and projects to promote the country's culture and tourism including calling for scholarships for Vietnamese students from the US and some other countries, organising some charity events, and assisting local communities to develop the tourism industry.

dtinews