Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Malaysian-Aussie Nick Kyrgios has been drafted in along with his mother as the newest ambassador for the struggling Malaysian tourism industry, badly hit by the twin airline disasters of 2014.

Even with his reputation as a tennis hothead and all-around bad boy firmly in public view this past ATP season, Malaysian officials see the 20-year-old as a potential boost to get reluctant Aussies to make the six-hour flight north like they used to.

Malaysian airlines has been fighting a huge decline in passenger numbers, with the Asian nation now concentrating on winning back some of the Australian trade. In the year to September, Australians visiting Malaysia declined 16 per cent compared with the previous 12-month period. The airline has had to cut capacity and has ended flights from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane, though it still flies to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Kyrgios stars in two promotional videos with his Malay mum Nill. In the films, the pair are pictured visiting top KL hotels, indulging in day spas and eating well before sampling nightlife in the capital.

In another video, the family pair visit elephants at the Kuala Gandah National Conservation Centre, with Kyrgios asking to see any “mammoths” which might be around. “While I was born and brought up in Austral a, I’m really proud of my family culture and very close to my Malaysian family,” says Kyrgios in the video.

“I’ve flown with Malaysia Airlines to visit them since I was a boy and my mum and extended family have always associated Malaysia Airlines with home.”

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.