While Fan Bingbing’s (范冰冰) appointment as Tourism Ambassador for Melaka received mixed reactions, it has brought improvement to the state’s tourism. However, rumour has it that the Chinese actress may receive a state honour for her contribution.
Last year, the actress was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Melaka, a move that received mixed reactions. Despite the comments, Fan Bingbing’s ambassadorship saw a growth in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the historical state. The star was even recognised in the Malaysian Book of Records for “Largest Digital Hits for Malaysian Tourism on WeChat Platform Using Celebrity Ambassador”.
In celebration of her contribution, the state of Melaka is reportedly honouring the star with the highest state honour. According to China Press, Fan Bingbing may be honoured with a Datuk Wira title during the Governor of Melaka’s birthday on 24th August 2025 (Sunday). As such, the actress will be returning to the state to receive the honour and fulfil her duties as Tourism Ambassador. Fan Bingbing is currently in Kuala Lumpur to film for an upcoming project.
Fan Bingbing’s tenure as Melaka’s Tourism Ambassador may also be extended, given her contributions to the state so far. Since the state will be hosting the World Tourism Day (WTD) 2025 and the World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2025 from 27th to 29th September 2025 (Saturday to Monday), it’s believed the actress will continue her role in light of these events.
According to reports, in the year Fan Bingbing was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Melaka, the number of Chinese tourists in the state increased significantly from 204,818 to 664,687. The increase in tourism also helped boost consumption in hotels, restaurants and attractions, making the 44-year-old a significant contributor to helping Melaka’s tourism industry recover.
The rumours of Fan Bingbing receiving the Datuk Wira honour remain unconfirmed, but what are your thoughts on this?
Source: China Press
