NTCM Wants Visa Fee Waiver For Chinese Tourists Be Extended To Others

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KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- The government's decision to waive visa fees for Chinese tourists has prompted a tourism body to propose that the waiver be extended to tourists from other countries.

National Tourism Council of Malaysia (NTCM) president Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin said this can help achieve the 36 million tourists target and generate RM168 billion tourism receipts by 2020.

"We will have a meeting with the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz soon to propose this visa fee waiver to the ministry.

"The visa fee waiver for Chinese tourists starting February 15 should be extended to tourists from countries with potential such as India and the Middle East," he told a press conference, here today.

Mohd Sharkar said the NTCM also proposed that the government establish a training academy to train skilled manpower for the tourism industry.

"The proposed training academy can train skilled manpower in tourism sectors such as the taxi service and hospitality."

He would seek the cooperation of the Home Ministry, Royal Malaysian Customs Department and non-governmental organisations (NGO) in formulating training modules for the establishment of the academy.
-bernama.