To support its tourist recovery during the busiest months of the year, the Malaysian government is thinking about adopting Thailand’s policy of abolishing visa requirements for Chinese visitors.
According to a source from Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to prepare a report on visa exemptions for Chinese tourists, according to The Rakyat Post.
According to Sin Chew Daily, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing of the ministry said that if the policy were to be put into effect, Chinese tourists would be able to enter the country without a visa “for a specific number of days.”
Chinese visitors can currently enter Malaysia with a 15-day visa.
In 2023, Malaysia is expected to welcome at least 18 million foreign visitors, exceeding its initial goal of 16.1 million.
By easing visa regulations and stepping up tourism promotion campaigns, Southeast Asian nations have hastened the revival of their international tourism industries.
In order to encourage 5 million more tourists, Thailand, the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, temporarily abolished the need for Chinese citizens to obtain visas for a period of five months beginning on September 25.
Beginning on August 15, Vietnam started to accept e-visa registrations from citizens of all nations and territories, with a visa good for 90 days and multiple entries.