Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University Partners with WBC MUAYTHAI to Promote Muay Thai at International Festival in Italy and Explore Muay Thai Tourism Markets

Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University (MCRU), through the College of Muay Thai Studies and Thai Traditional Medicine, partnered with WBC MUAYTHAI at the Amazing MuayThai European Festival 2026, held in Sardinia, Italy, from 15–18 October 2026. The initiative brought Thai knowledge and Muay Thai heritage to the international stage while using the festival as a platform for market research and testing new approaches to developing Muay Thai products and tourism experiences, creating new opportunities for Thailand’s creative economy.

The initiative was led by Dr. Baramee Choochai, Dean of the College of Muay Thai Studies and Thai Traditional Medicine, who also serves as principal investigator of the research project “Integrating Muay Thai with Quality Tourism to Drive Thailand’s Creative Economy onto the Global Stage.” The project is supported by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC).

This mission forms part of Objective 2 of the research project, which focuses on investigating international market demand and testing approaches to integrating Muay Thai with quality tourism and the creative economy through collaboration with international Muay Thai networks.

From the Competition Arena to Cultural Learning and Market Testing
During the festival, the College showcased Muay Thai knowledge and heritage through experiential activities, particularly a workshop on making traditional Muay Thai mongkhon headbands, highlighting the cultural values and distinctive identity of Muay Thai.

The team also introduced Muay Thai-related products for trial sales and assessed responses from festival participants. These activities enabled the research team to observe consumer behavior, explore interest in Muay Thai products, and gather direct feedback from target audiences. Participants showed interest in a variety of equipment and products associated with Muay Thai training and competition.

Findings from this market-testing activity will contribute to the analysis of opportunities for developing Muay Thai products and services that better meet international market needs.
Connecting International Muay Thai Gyms with Tourism Opportunities in Thailand
Beyond the festival, the research team conducted market research through Muay Thai gym networks in Italy, focusing on the interests of fighters, Muay Thai practitioners, and gym operators in traveling to Thailand for training and tourism.

A key focus was exploring ways to develop and promote Muay Thai tourism packages through overseas gym networks. These networks provide a direct channel for reaching people already interested in Muay Thai and potentially encouraging them to visit Thailand.

This approach contributes to assessing the feasibility of connecting international Muay Thai gyms with tourism operators and Muay Thai service providers in Thailand, with the aim of creating tourism experiences that generate added value from Thailand’s cultural heritage.

Muay Thai Festivals as a Driver of the Creative Economy
Participation in the festival also provided an opportunity to study how Muay Thai competitions are organized internationally, attracting young athletes, parents, coaches, and enthusiasts from various countries.
Muay Thai festivals can serve a purpose beyond sporting competition. They can bring together cultural activities, Muay Thai products, travel, and tourism, creating opportunities to develop festival models that generate economic value while preserving cultural identity.

Advancing the College’s Role in International Education and Research Networks
The collaboration with WBC MUAYTHAI also provided an important opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the College of Muay Thai Studies and Thai Traditional Medicine at MCRU as an academic institution specializing in Muay Thai studies, Thai traditional medicine, and related wellness disciplines.

It also opened opportunities to build international partnerships in education, research, and the development of short training courses for international participants, particularly in Muay Thai for wellness and experiential tourism.
This initiative reflects MCRU’s commitment to connecting university knowledge with international networks and applying research to understand real market needs. The insights gained will help inform the future development of Muay Thai tourism and Thailand’s creative economy.

“From the local community to the global stage, from Muay Thai heritage to tourism innovation, and from research to new opportunities for Thailand’s creative economy.”

WBC MUAYTHAI News: https://www.wbcmuaythai.com/archives/9467
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