KUALA LUMPUR: The visa-free travel arrangement is a major reason why there was a nearly 200% increase in Chinese tourists to Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister said tourists find the visa-free travel arrangement between both countries attractive.
He said Malaysia had received 1,185,050 visitors from China as of May this year, which was a 194% increase compared with the same period last year.
“I sincerely encourage all airlines to seize this trend by expanding their connectivity between Malaysia and various countries to provide more convenience and options for travellers worldwide, creating a win-win situation,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday, Bernama reported.
Meanwhile, Tiong also announced the launch of AirAsia’s inaugural direct flights from Ningbo, China, to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, which will operate three times a week using the Airbus A320 aircraft, each with 180 seats.
He said the direct routes will help attract travellers, particularly from Zhejiang province and other regions of China to Malaysia.
In November last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a 30-day visa exemption for tourists from China and India starting Dec 1 of the same year.
The initiative was reciprocated by China agreeing to extend the visa exemption for Malaysian tourists from 15 to 30 days, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China on May 31 this year.
