Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra is the 'Friendship Ambassador' of Switzerland
S
witzerland Tourism has teamed up with Olympic Gold medallist Neeraj Chopra as its friendship ambassador to promote its notable tourist destinations to the burgeoning Indian travellers. As part of his new role, Chopra will share his experiences exploring the country and its numerous offerings to tourists such as snow sports, hiking, biking and adventure sports.
Neeraj Chopra is India's prominent youth icon and travels regularly to Switzerland for his training and tournaments. After the season ends, he loves to extend his stay for the much needed rejuvenation and also to get some adrenaline pumping! Among the top destinations that Chopra has visited are Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva.
Neeraj was in Zurich in September this year for the Diamond League Championships. After winning it, he set off with his buddies on a vacation that was a perfect match to his love for adventures. From canyon jumping, skydiving, speeding in jet boats in Interlaken to exploring snow scooters and sleds on Jungfraujoch, Monster biking, hiking, paragliding and a helicopter tour in Zermatt, the crew covered them all.
He also explored the city of Geneva via a unique running tour. He travelled in eTuktuk to the United Nations to pay homage to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. But the icing on the cake was his river rafting tour down to the iconic Lake Geneva to see Geneva's famous landmark - the Jet d'eau.
Reminiscing about his memorable experience, Chopra recounted, "Switzerland is my favourite international holiday destination! It's so beautiful everywhere you look! It was great spending time exploring the country after the season. I also wanted to show it to my friends and family. It was the best place to relax after a hectic season for me. You feel refreshed anywhere in the country whether you are out in the mountains or even just strolling in the city! But what got me excited was the chance to experience the adventurous side of the country with my closest friends. I was thrilled to show them Interlaken and Zermatt, which are known for their adventure activities but also that it's possible to enjoy the outdoors in Geneva, which is the second largest city in Switzerland. We tried everything from canyon swing to river rafting to paragliding and skydiving amongst other activities. And of course, it helps to know that Switzerland is the safest place for all sorts of adventure sports!"
Speaking about the collaboration with Neeraj Chopra, Misha Gambetta, Director-India, Switzerland Tourism said, "India is a very important long-haul market for us! And it's great to have a friendship ambassador from India representing Switzerland. Neeraj is an icon and a very outdoorsy person, and he will be the perfect person to showcase the sporty side of Switzerland. We look forward to working towards a successful campaign with him".
"Switzerland Tourism sees a great potential in attracting different kinds of visitors and the outdoor segment is a particularly interesting space from an India perspective post Covid. More and more Indians are realising the importance of enjoying the outdoors and of being active. Through our association with Neeraj Chopra, we hope to tap into that opportunity. We will be closely working with Neeraj to promote Switzerland through his eyes as a sportsperson who loves the outdoors. Switzerland has everything a tourist looks for during a holiday - fresh air, beautiful mountains, untouched nature, unique cities and monuments and an amazingly efficient public travel system. It is also a perfect destination to enjoy some activities in nature. There are different levels of hiking and biking, water sports and action-packed activities such as river rafting, skydiving and snow sports in winters, so Neeraj will have a lot to choose from as our Friendship Ambassador!" said Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director of Switzerland Tourism.
Neeraj Chopra donated his gold-winning javelin to The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland in September this year. The museum founded by the International Olympic Committee in 1993 showcases the richness and diversity of Olympism through history, culture, design, technology, and sociology with sports as the main element. The gloves worn by Mary Kom as well as Dhyan Chand's hockey are also part of the exhibits at the Museum.
Switzerland Tourism (ST) is a federal public corporation to promote Switzerland as a holiday, travel and conference destination both at home and abroad.
This story has been provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/Mediawire)
✔️ Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra is the 'Friendship Ambassador' of Switzerland
💕 Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us!