From tomorrow (Sunday, August 24) onwards, it’s Datuk Fan Bingbing.
Remember when the Chinese actress visited Malacca last year and the state saw a boost in tourism? There’s even a mural of Fan Bingbing on Jonker Street, which has since become an Instagrammable hotspot for both local and international tourists.
Thanks to her efforts in promoting Malacca as a tourism destination, Fan will be conferred the title “Datuk Kehormat” (Honorary Datuk) at an investiture ceremony on August 24, held in conjunction with the birthday celebrations of Melaka’s Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor).
Melaka Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh confirmed the news. According to a report by the New Straits Times, the actress was recently in Malaysia for a high tea event at The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur. Fan also announced her return to Malaysia on social media prior to her arrival, and was spotted at The Exchange TRX for the launch of a beauty product.
In May last year, Fan was appointed as the state’s tourism ambassador. Not long after, social media engagement skyrocketed, with over 1.5 billion impressions on China’s WeChat platform. Chinese tourist arrivals to Melaka also tripled, from 204,818 in 2023 to 664,687 in 2024.
Her role has generated a surge of 1.2 billion online searches, with “Melaka” alone accounting for over 445 million.
Fan Bingbing is also set to appear in Mother Bhumi, a Malaysian film in which she reportedly learned six languages for her role. The film wrapped filming last October but has yet to receive a release date.
