Huang Lei, star of China's top reality show, Dad, Where Are We Going?, has more than 20 million social media followers.
This week a five minute Mandarin language video on driving in New Zealand, filmed in June and secured by the Government's Tourism New Zealand agency, was released in China, starring Huang.
Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett said the benefit of using someone like Huang was that he would ''get noticed and his genuine concern for the safety of his family and others on the road sends a powerful message''.
A record 310,000 Chinese tourists arrived in New Zealand last year, many of whom opted to self drive.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said Huang used his own words and style in the video, filmed near Kaikoura, including things he considered critical for Chinese drivers to understand.
That included the need to keep left on the road, to exercise caution on winding roads and to pull completely off the road before stopping to take photographs.
''Huang Lei's commitment to the safety of his family meant he was happy to deliver our key messages as part of his trip - that whilst self driving is a great way to see New Zealand, driving here is very different to driving in China and visitors should consider carefully if it is the right choice for them,'' Mr Bowler said.
The video will be screened on Air New Zealand's new ''Driving in New Zealand'' in flight entertainment channel, available on international flights, from November, and it would also be distributed through all Tourism New Zealand owned channels in China and through public relations activity.
In June, the Government announced every visitor arriving from China would receive a leaflet titled ''Driving Safely in New Zealand''.
The Tourism Industry Association and the Rental Vehicle Association are also developing a code of practice for rental vehicle companies.
That follows a spate of serious injury and fatal accidents involving foreign motorists.
Recently, the Otago Daily Times reported the Chinese driver of a hired van which crashed near Wanaka on November 6, killing three people, might have had as little as 20 minutes' driving experience in New Zealand.
Driver Wing Fai Chan (62), also known as Allan, his wife, Kwai Tei Chong (62), also known as Connie, and Yin Wan Ng (57), also known as Priscilla, were killed after Mr Chan failed to give way at an intersection and the van collided with a Scania truck.
On June 9, Beijing man Jin Cao (32) was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Oamaru girl Ruby Marris (5) and injuring her parents and older sisters.
Cao was driving his car on the wrong side of the road when it collided with the family's vehicle near Moeraki in February.
In sentencing Cao, the judge also ordered him to pay more than $61,000 reparation to the Marris family.
A day after sentencing, Cao lodged an appeal. It was heard in the High Court at Dunedin in July. Justice David Gendall found no fault with the jail sentence and dismissed the appeal.
