Hollywood action star Arnold Schwarzenegger has been named Madrid's honorary tourism ambassador.

The Hollywood action hero filmed `Conan the Barbarian` around the Spanish capital in the 1980s and now Madrid authorities have given him the inaugural ambassador honour in the hope he will raise the city's profile and encourage moviemakers to use the area, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Spanish officials have also asked him to join a new campaign to boost tourism, which has been struggling since the economic recession of 2012.

Schwarzenegger will be awarded a star on the Spanish version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the city of Almeria, Sunday. It is not known if he will attend the ceremony.