Chinese Tourist Arrivals Triples after Malaysia Applies Visa-free Policy

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysia received 1.18 million Chinese visitors between January and May, up 194 percent from the same period last year. This growth came after the country implemented a visa-free travel policy.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was quoted by The Star as saying that this significant increase was due to the cooperation between the two countries on visa-free travel. Malaysia began offering 30-day free entry visas to Chinese citizens in December last year, and has extended it until 2026.

"I encourage all airlines to (take advantage of) this trend by expanding connectivity... to provide more convenience and options for travelers worldwide, creating a win-win situation," he said in a Facebook post on Sunday, Aug 4, 2024.

This year, Malaysia is targeting 27 million foreign tourists from all over the world, including Indonesians, who are expected to reach four million by 2024.

Still Less than Thailand

The number of Chinese tourists in Malaysia is still small compared to other neighboring countries. Thailand welcomed 2.91 million Chinese tourists in the first five months of this year, while Vietnam received 1.6 million.

Thailand introduced a permanent visa waiver for Chinese tourists in March. Since June, Thailand has allowed tourists from 93 countries to enter the country without a visa for up to 60 days, up from 57 countries. By mid-year, Thailand had received 17.5 million foreign tourists.

Southeast Asian countries have recently been competing to win back tourists from China, the world's largest overseas tourism market prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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