Li Zongwei appointed tourism ambassador Sabah says he wants to attract Chinese "fans"

Source: China News Network

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian badminton star Li Zongwei was appointed as the country's sabah tourism ambassador on the 27th, but this appointment has caused some controversy in the local area. The Sabah tourism department said on the 28th that Li Zongwei's high popularity will help attract international tourists "especially Chinese tourists".

Data chart: Li Zongwei (left) and Lin Dan on the field.

Li Zongwei also said on his social media on the evening of the 28th that he was proud to be appointed as a tourism ambassador and was willing to introduce this famous "hometown under the wind" and "the infinite charm of mountains and seas" to the world.

However, Li Zongwei's appointment has caused some controversy in Sabah, and some online comments have pointed out that Li Zongwei is not a local of Sabah, questioning why he did not choose locals to represent Sabah.

The Sabah Tourism Board issued a statement explaining that it had previously appointed a number of well-known local cultural and sports figures in Sabah as tourism ambassadors, and Li Zongwei was a free endorsement for Sabah.

The Sabah Tourism Board also said in a statement that China is the largest source of tourists in Sabah, and the Sabah Tourism Board looks forward to attracting Chinese tourists to Sabah after the epidemic. Li Zongwei enjoys a high reputation in China, and the Sabah Tourism Department hopes that through this appointment, it will attract Malaysian and foreign tourists, especially Li Zongwei's supporters from China, and arouse their interest in tourism to Sabah. (End)