Improved Visa Policies for Chinese Passport Holders Continue to Pay Off for Malaysia

Chinese tourists in Malaysia increased by 7.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2017, accounting for 551,000 visitors. According to Tourism Malaysia, this put Chinese visitors as the country’s third largest arrival group, accounting for 8.3 percent of the total. This was behind regional neighbours Indonesia – which in second place accounted for 10.6 percent of arrivals – and first-placed Singapore, which was the source of 48.5 percent of international visitors.

A report published by Maybank Investment Bank in early June 2017 stated: “The number accounted for only 18 percent of the 3 million target of Malaysian government this year. That said, we opine that it ought to pick up”. In 2016, 2.1 million Chinese visitors came to Malaysia.

The Malaysian government offers a wide range of affordable, streamlined tourist visa options for Chinese nationals, which can be applied for online. These include: e-visa (electronic visa), eNTRI (Electronic Travel Registration and Information) or VOA (Visa on Arrival) options, which cater to various needs. Tourism Malaysia data shows that there were visa applications from 323,173 Chinese nationals in April 2017, a steady improvement since the 284,606 recorded in March 2016.

As Malaysia continues to face great competition for Chinese tourists from countries such as Indonesia and Thailand – which have both looked to invest heavily in attracting the Chinese outbound tourism market – continued visa simplification is regarded as an effective means of competing. Consequently, discussions surrounding a potential two-week visa free policy for Chinese passport holders are also underway.

COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute provides expert insights into the worldwide developments of China’s outbound tourism market. As Chinese outbound tourists are travelling to a large range of destinations, our publications cover a number of regions, providing detailed insights and analysing visitor behaviour.

With COTRI’s insights you can forge a successful business strategy built upon in-depth market expertise, comprehensive qualitative analysis and future projections. The Spring 2017 Edition of the COTRI Market report features in-depth exploration of the developing trends in the field, supported by a wealth of qualitative and quantitative statistical research.

Source: Xinhuanet, New Straits Times

Picture: Flickr