Malaysia may waive visa fee for tourists from India

MUMBAI: Malaysia plans to waive the visa fee for high-spending Indians as a strategy to hit the 29.4 million international tourist arrival target this year.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said Malaysia needed an additional two million visitors to reach the target.

India is the fifth largest source of tourists for Malaysia.

Mohamed Nazri said currently, an Indian traveller spends about RM350 to RM400 on visa fee and other related payments.

“Indian tourists are big spenders especially when it comes to shopping, like the Chinese tourists,” Mohamed Nazri said before launching the Myfest 2015 promotion campaign here on Friday.

“We need to bring at least two million more tourists into the country to meet our target this year, with estimated revenue of RM80bil or we will lose out to other Asean countries, which already implemented such exemption (visa fee waiver), he said.

He also said Indians wishing to stay longer in Malaysia could choose Malaysia’s Second Home Programme, where they can stay up to 10 years without visa requirements.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/02/15/Malaysia-may-waive-visa-fee-for-tourists-from-India/