VOA requirements for China, India tourists may be relaxed

PUTRAJAYA - The Visa On Arrival (VOA) requirements for tourists from China and India may be relaxed in a bid to increase the number of visitors from two countries in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi said the move might be implemented this year, but he did not specify which of the requirements would be relaxed.

“Yes (maybe relax the requirements), I don’t see any problem with that. We are looking for more tourists, so we need to be lenient.

“We may relax (VOA requirements), but we need (further) discussions with other relevant ministries and ministers,” he told reporters at a special press conference here yesterday.

Earlier, the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) urged the government to provide visa-free travel access to tourists from China and India to boost the country’s tourism industry.

MATTA President Datuk Tan Kok Liang said Malaysia suffered a three per cent drop in tourist arrivals to 25.95 million in 2017 compared to 26.76 million in 2016, although tourist arrival throughout ASEAN in 2017 remained positive.