MELAKA: The appointment of popular actress Fan Bingbing as a state tourism ambassador has boosted Melaka's digital image among tourists from China, says Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
The Melaka Chief Minister said that the Chinese actress had helped catapult the historic 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.
"This milestone follows the appointment of Fan Bingbing as the Melaka Tourism Friendship Ambassador in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year 2024 (TMM2024), last year," he said after the official handover ceremony of a new record from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR), recognising the achievement under the title: “Largest Digital Hits for Malaysia Tourism on WeChat Platform Using Celebrity Ambassador" at Seri Negeri here on Thursday (May 15).
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%.
"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.
