Malaysia’s Melaka hails Fan Bingbing as Chinese tourists flock to state
Local leader Ab Rauf Yusoh says the actress has ‘triggered an extraordinary wave of interest’ in the state
The appointment of popular actress Fan Bingbing as a state tourism ambassador has boosted Melaka’s digital image among tourists from China, according to the region’s Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Ab Rauf said that the Chinese actress had helped catapult the historic Malaysian city into the global tourism spotlight.
“It’s a groundbreaking achievement when Melaka recorded 1.5 billion digital impressions on China’s popular WeChat platform,” he said.
“This milestone follows the appointment of Fan Bingbing as the Melaka tourism friendship ambassador in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year 2024 last year,” Ab Rauf said after the official handover ceremony of a record from the Malaysia Book of Records, recognising the achievement under the title: “Largest Digital Hits for Malaysia Tourism on WeChat Platform Using Celebrity Ambassador” at Seri Negeri on Thursday.
Ab Rauf hailed the achievement as a strategic leap in efforts to capture the Chinese tourist market, firmly positioning Melaka on the world tourism map.
“Fan Bingbing has triggered an extraordinary wave of interest.
“Melaka’s name has risen, and as a result, we’ve garnered over 1.5 billion hits, surpassing even mega-events such as the Shanghai International Film Festival and the Weibo Movie Awards,” he said.
Ab Rauf also said that the digital triumph has translated into tangible results, with the number of Chinese tourists visiting Melaka soaring from 204,818 in 2023 to 664,687 in 2024, an increase of 459,869 visitors, or 22.64 per cent.
“The success not only reflects the power of celebrity influence in digital tourism campaigns but also underscores Melaka’s growing appeal as a must-visit destination for international travellers,” he added.
This story was first published by The Star
