Visa joy for Chinese and Indian tourists
Tourists from China and India will now be given multiple-entry visas.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that while the visas would be valid for a year, the foreigners could not remain in the country for more than a month per visit.
The single entry visa charges of RM30 for the Chinese and RM50 for Indians have been retained for the multiple-entry visas.
This move is part of the promotions under Visit Malaysia Year 2007, as well as to cater to the increasing number of arrivals from the two countries.
“A total of 7.19 million tourists arrived between January and May, which is an increase of 5.4% compared with the corresponding period last year,” he told reporters yesterday after chairing a Cabinet committee meeting on tourism.
“Tourists from China and India form some 10% of the total number of arrivals.”
Najib said the Government had also lifted the freeze on foreign caddies imposed in July last year following complaints from golf course operators.
“They said the number of golfers from overseas had dwindled, and since we have to compete with other countries, we need to provide such a service.
“So now, operators can apply for foreign caddies from the Home Affairs Ministry,” he added.
Najib, who chairs the Cabinet committee for foreign workers, said that hotels, spas and the travel and tourism sector were also allowed to hire foreign workers.
The Cabinet, he said, had also agreed to his proposal to set up a consulate in Mumbai as soon as possible in view of the high number of visa applications.
Later, Najib witnessed the signing of a working agreement between Ships Classification Malaysia and Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia.
The agreement will facilitate efforts by the two parties on co-operation in design appraisal, inspection and certification of offshore and onshore structures in Indonesia and South-East Asian waters.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that while the visas would be valid for a year, the foreigners could not remain in the country for more than a month per visit.
The single entry visa charges of RM30 for the Chinese and RM50 for Indians have been retained for the multiple-entry visas.
This move is part of the promotions under Visit Malaysia Year 2007, as well as to cater to the increasing number of arrivals from the two countries.
“A total of 7.19 million tourists arrived between January and May, which is an increase of 5.4% compared with the corresponding period last year,” he told reporters yesterday after chairing a Cabinet committee meeting on tourism.
“Tourists from China and India form some 10% of the total number of arrivals.”
Najib said the Government had also lifted the freeze on foreign caddies imposed in July last year following complaints from golf course operators.
“They said the number of golfers from overseas had dwindled, and since we have to compete with other countries, we need to provide such a service.
“So now, operators can apply for foreign caddies from the Home Affairs Ministry,” he added.
Najib, who chairs the Cabinet committee for foreign workers, said that hotels, spas and the travel and tourism sector were also allowed to hire foreign workers.
The Cabinet, he said, had also agreed to his proposal to set up a consulate in Mumbai as soon as possible in view of the high number of visa applications.
Later, Najib witnessed the signing of a working agreement between Ships Classification Malaysia and Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia.
The agreement will facilitate efforts by the two parties on co-operation in design appraisal, inspection and certification of offshore and onshore structures in Indonesia and South-East Asian waters.
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