REMEMBER when a famous football star took on the role of our tourism ambassador?
In 2017, Malaysia appointed former Barcelona and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez as a Tourism Ambassador.
In a post made by @azrulazimi_ on X, he recently reminded everyone that the government had once splurged RM7.5 million on this move.
Then-Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz announced the partnership on November, calling Suarez “a hero to millennials” and hoping he’d “shine the limelight on Malaysia as a tropical holiday destination.”
However, RM4.4 million went to advertising alone, with a whopping RM3.1 million spent on just four 60-second videos featuring the Uruguayan striker.
The post had mixed reactions among X users.
@ruddi1994 expressed shock: “Spending 7 million, in 7 years this is the first time I see this”
@emperorkc88 questioned the campaign’s effectiveness: “Was it successful? I can’t remember seeing many people from Latin America visiting us though”
@ewanyusof1 didn’t hold back, sharing what appear to be poorly edited promo images: “Paying that much for that kind of editing on promotional advertisements?”
While some users recalled Suarez sampling local delights like Nasi Lemak and Rendang, others were left wondering about the impact of this high-profile marketing play.
